Yemen’s path to stability depends on restoring the state, Leadership Council vice-president tells UN

Yemen’s Vice-President Abdullah Al-Alimi Bawazir told the UN General Assembly that the Government had engaged positively with peace initiatives while making concessions to end civilian suffering. He accused the Houthis of exploiting truces to expand their military arsenal, deepening the humanitarian crisis for a generation born into war and hunger. Bawazir argued that international hesitation to designate the Houthis as terrorists enabled their regional expansion and reliance on Iranian military support, including weapons and expertise.

Addressing maritime security, he warned that Houthi use of Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb waters as leverage threatened global trade and required eliminating the threat on land. Bawazir cautioned that temporary pauses in attacks did not ensure lasting maritime security, stressing that stability in Yemen depended on restoring state control over all territories.

Bawazir emphasized that the Government’s conflict was against an armed coup seizing state institutions, not against Yemeni citizens or specific groups. He called for international implementation of resolutions, halting arms flows to militias, and supporting Yemen’s national institutions and economy to build a sustainable future.

He reaffirmed Yemen’s support for Palestinian rights and condemned the Houthis’ detention of UN and humanitarian workers, urging protection for civilians and peacebuilders. Bawazir concluded by affirming Bab el-Mandeb’s role as a bridge for commerce and peace, contingent on restoring state authority and regional security.