INTERNATIONAL NEWS
NEW YORK – Liberia, alongside the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Somalia, has called for an immediate de-escalation of the worsening security situation in Yemen, warning that renewed fighting could plunge the country into large-scale conflict and reverse years of relative calm.
By: Kabina S. Kabah – kabinaskaba98@gmail.com
Liberia’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, H.E. Baba Sillah, delivered the joint statement on behalf of the A3 during the 10,208th meeting of the United Nations Security Council.
The A3 said recent developments demonstrate that Yemen faces its greatest risk of renewed large-scale conflict since the April 2022 truce, warning that continued escalation could undermine the UN-led peace process and deepen the suffering of civilians.
The three African countries stressed that Yemen must not become a theater for broader regional confrontation, while reaffirming their support for the country’s sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity.
“The future of Yemen must be written by Yemeni hands through an inclusive UN-led process,” the A3 said, reaffirming support for the efforts of UN Special Envoy Hans Grundberg and the UN-led political process.
The group urged all parties to move beyond what it described as mere conflict management and address the root causes of the crisis through genuine dialogue.
Concern over attacks and civilian casualties
The A3 expressed deep concern over renewed fighting across Marib and Hadhramaut, warning that military escalation could quickly erase hard-won gains toward peace.
It also raised alarm over reports of attacks since early August, including shelling in civilian areas and a displacement camp in Marib City sheltering more than two million displaced people.
The African bloc called on all parties to comply fully with international humanitarian law, particularly the principles of distinction, proportionality and precaution.
It further warned that cross-border strikes against Saudi Arabia, attacks on energy infrastructure and declared maritime blockades risk internationalizing the conflict.
The A3 also encouraged political actors in Aden and the southern governorates to resolve their differences through dialogue in order to preserve institutional cohesion.
Humanitarian crisis deepens
The statement highlighted Yemen’s worsening humanitarian and economic conditions, particularly their impact on women and girls.
According to the A3, nearly 11 million women and girls in Yemen require humanitarian assistance, including about 5.5 million women of reproductive age and approximately 750,000 pregnant women.
The group warned that inadequate access to reproductive healthcare is contributing to preventable maternal deaths and other serious health risks.
The A3 also pointed to the deterioration of Yemen’s healthcare system and reported outbreaks, including a measles surge in Marib that has recorded more than 1,600 cases and 12 deaths.
Damage to port infrastructure was also cited as a major concern, with the A3 warning that strikes on Al Mukalla Port on August 9, 10 and 11 damaged facilities used for commercial goods and food supplies, threatening vital imports.
“Humanitarian aid is a lifeline for millions, not a bargaining chip for war,” the A3 declared, calling for safe, rapid and unhindered humanitarian access, flexible funding and economic stabilization.
Call for release of detained UN personnel
The A3 also demanded the immediate and unconditional release of United Nations personnel, humanitarian workers, NGO staff, civil society representatives and personnel associated with diplomatic missions who remain detained by the Houthis.
The group noted that August marks two years since the initial wave of mass detentions involving personnel supporting humanitarian, development and diplomatic efforts in Yemen.
The A3 welcomed a recent UN-brokered agreement for the release of more than 1,600 conflict-related detainees, describing it as a positive step toward rebuilding trust among the parties.
The group urged all sides to protect humanitarian workers and facilitate the safe movement of humanitarian personnel and supplies.
It further called on the international community to provide adequate, predictable and flexible funding to support humanitarian operations, early recovery, livelihoods, essential services and economic stabilization.
Red Sea attacks threaten global trade
The A3 also expressed concern over attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandab and the Gulf of Aden, warning that the violence threatens freedom of navigation, disrupts supply chains and increases global commodity costs.
The group said attacks on Al Mukalla Port and the interception of an unmanned explosive vessel approaching a commercial berth demonstrate the growing threat to infrastructure critical to Yemen’s survival.
Given the strategic importance of the Bab al-Mandab Strait to Africa and global commerce, the A3 stressed that maritime security and Yemen’s political stability must be addressed together.
Concluding the statement, Ambassador Sillah emphasized that there is “no military solution” to the Yemen conflict.
The A3 called on all parties to step back from escalation, return to dialogue and engage constructively with the UN-led peace process.
“The Yemeni people deserve peace, functioning institutions and economic opportunities,” the A3 said, pledging to work with members of the Security Council to ensure a unified and urgent response to the crisis.
