Statement by the Permanent Representative of Brazil to the United Nations, Ambassador Ronaldo Costa Filho, at the UNSC meeting on the Situation in Yemen - April 14th, 2022

 Madam President,
 
I would like to begin by thanking Special Representative Hans Grundberg and Undersecretary-General Martin Griffiths for their briefings. The insight they bring to the Council is especially invaluable in light of the significant developments witnessed over the past few weeks.
 
Firstly, congratulations are in order to Mr. Grundberg and his office for brokering the truce announced two weeks ago. Halting the fighting, increasing fuel imports and resuming commercial flights from Sanaa are all measures that will have a positive impact on the humanitarian and economic situation in Yemen. As we have heard from Mr. Griffiths, there are already signs of a steep reduction in civilian casualties.
 
Not only should the truce be upheld, but the parties and the international community also owe it to the Yemeni people to renew the agreement and to expand its terms, including by reopening roads in Taiz and further facilitating the movement of people and goods. Perhaps most importantly, this truce provides an opportunity to foster trust and build momentum towards a permanent ceasefire and a comprehensive and inclusive political solution. Thus, we are gravely alarmed by reports of armed clashes around Marib and Taiz. This opportunity must not be squandered, this is not a time for brinkmanship or irresponsibility.
 
Brazil hopes that the creation of the Presidential Leadership Council will prove to be a positive step towards peace, and welcomes the public assurances made by the Council’s leadership in this regard. Mr. Grundberg’s three-day visit to Sana’a is another element that indicates increasing openness to dialogue. We urge the Houthis to step up their engagement with the Special Envoy, both by observing and extending the truce and by committing to a political solution.
 
Madam president,
 
As we have just heard from Mr. Griffiths, the humanitarian situation remains dire and we are still far from closing the funding gap for aid operations. It is worrying that food and nutrition assistance is one of the most underfunded areas of this response. Brazil has sought to do its part, including by announcing new contributions at the donor’s conference for Yemen held last month in Geneva.
 
Unless the causes of the humanitarian disaster are addressed, however, no amount of aid will suffice. The positive developments we have discussed today have the potential to revert the previous trend towards economic disarray and fragmentation. Brazil commends, in this context, the Saudi and Emirati contributions towards economic stabilization, including the sizeable foreign reserve injection into the Yemeni Central Bank. Sustaining the exchange rate will have rippling effects on the wellbeing of Yemeni society.
 
Brazil also welcomes the progress being made by the UN Yemen country team under Mr. David Gressly with regard to FSO Safer. Brazil supports the implementation of the plan in its entirety, including the transfer of the Safer’s contents to a temporary vessel as an emergency measure and the procurement of a replacement FSO as a long-term solution.
 
Madam President,
 
Over the last few weeks, we have seen a number of significant developments regarding Yemen, most of them positive, many of them unexpected. As we have learned over more than seven years of war, our hopes should be tempered with caution and vigilance, and must be accompanied by sustained efforts to capitalize on these initial advances. We reiterate our full support to Mr. Grundberg and his office in this regard. We also recall that ultimate responsibility for progressing on the path of peace falls on the parties on the ground. The Yemeni people do not deserve to have their hopes dashed yet again.
 
Thank you, Madam President