12.06.2025 Statement by Denmark at the UNSC open briefing on the situation in Yemen

Checked Against Delivery

Madam President,

At the outset, let me thank Special Envoy Grundberg and Assistant Secretary-General Msuya for their informative briefings.

This month marks one year since the first wave of Houthi detentions of UN staff and humanitarian personnel. We firmly condemn these unlawful acts and reiterate our demand for their immediate and unconditional release.

We are deeply troubled by the Houthis' obstructions of the humanitarian community’s ability to deliver life-saving aid at the cost of Yemeni civilians. We were pleased to see this message clearly reflected in the press statement, we adopted last week.

Madam President,

As the conflict in Yemen drags on, the humanitarian impact grows more severe and the prospects for economic recovery grow more distant.

As highlighted by the World Bank, Yemen now ranks as the third poorest country in the world. And as reported yesterday, food insecurity is soaring with half of the population in government-controlled areas facing Crisis and above levels of food insecurity, according to the latest IPC analysis.

Over the past year, a combination of high inflation and currency depreciation has pushed the vast majority of Yemenis into poverty. With reductions in donor funding on the horizon, this situation is likely to deteriorate. As always, the most vulnerable suffer the gravest impact.

Sustained efforts to improve the Yemeni economy are needed, along with humanitarian funding to meet the needs of the most vulnerable. Without this, more children will go to bed hungry, health facilities will cease operating and more lives will be put at risk.

Denmark will continue to do our part, as we have done for the past 10 years, providing more than 200 million US Dollars in total to the humanitarian response.

Madam President,

Denmark firmly condemns the Houthis’ continued indiscriminate attacks against Israel. These actions are unacceptable and only serve to further destabilise an already volatile security situation in the region.

We urge all parties to uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law.

More must be done to effectively contain the destructive capabilities of the Houthis. We are particularly concerned by reports of growing ties between the Houthis and Al-Shabaab, and urge the relevant Panels of Experts to look into this.

We must remain focused on effectively curbing illegal arms flows to the Houthis, and to this end, UNVIM must be strengthened to enhance its efficiency in enforcing the arms embargo.

De-escalation in the Red Sea and in the wider region is crucial to restore maritime security and to bring Yemen back on a path towards peace.

Third and finally, Madam President,

Denmark extends its sincere gratitude to Special Envoy Grundberg for his tireless efforts and unwavering dedication to keeping the political process alive.

We appreciate that he seized the momentum from the cessation of hostilities between the US and the Houthis to re-engage the parties through meetings in Muscat and Riyadh.

And, we urge all parties to continue their engagement with the Special Envoy in good faith. To deliver on their earlier commitments for a nationwide ceasefire, economic measures, and a comprehensive political process.

Ultimately, only dialogue and genuine commitment by the parties will lead to real progress on the ground, and real results for the people of Yemen. We call on all parties to engage to forge lasting peace in Yemen, unlock vital economic recovery and alleviate the profound humanitarian suffering inflicted on the Yemeni people for far too long.

Thank you.