Thank you for contacting me about the war in Yemen.
I share your concerns regarding the crisis in Yemen and the plight of the Yemeni people who have been caught up in the conflict, and I know ministers do too. I am proud that the UK is leading the international effort to respond to the crisis in Yemen through both our humanitarian response and diplomatic influence.
The Yemeni people are facing one of the most severe man-made humanitarian crises in the world. After years of conflict, two-thirds of them (some 20 million people) require humanitarian assistance.
Since the conflict began, the UK has committed over £1 billion of humanitarian funding, which has helped meet the immediate food needs of millions of Yemenis, treated thousands of children for malnutrition and provided over one million people with improved water supply and basic sanitation. In 2022/23, the UK will provide at least £88 million. This will help feed at least two hundred thousand people every month and provide lifesaving health care for 800,000 women and children, and treat 85,000 severely malnourished children.
There is no military solution to this conflict. An inclusive political settlement is the only way to bring long-term stability to Yemen and address the worsening humanitarian crisis. The UK has been at the forefront of international diplomatic efforts to bring this about, fully supporting the UN Secretary-General and the UN Special Envoy’s peace plan.
I was encouraged to learn, on 1 April, of the two-month truce brokered by UN. I join the Prime Minister in calling on all parties to now work together to reach a lasting political solution; and am assured that the UK will, especially by way of the UN Security Council, continue to engage with the Envoy and all parties concerned to facilitate this.
The UK has never been party to the military conflict as part of the Saudi-led coalition.