Resolution on the humanitarian and political situation in Yemen

The European Parliament adopted by 638 votes to 12, with 44 abstentions, a resolution on the humanitarian and political situation in Yemen.

The text adopted in plenary had been tabled as a joint resolution by the EPP, S&D, Renew, Greens/EFA, ECR groups and The Left.

Parliament strongly condemned the ongoing violence in Yemen since 2015, which has degenerated into the worst humanitarian crisis in the world - with nearly 80 % of the population - more than 24 million people - in need of humanitarian support, including over 12 million children. The situation on the ground continues to worsen as 50 000 Yemenis are already living in famine-like conditions.

Financial aid

While welcoming the EU’s contribution to Yemen of over EUR 1 billion since 2015 in political, development and humanitarian assistance, Parliament called on the EU to mobilise additional resources to address the current situation in Yemen. Parliament also called for the provision of an economic rescue package for Yemen, including foreign exchange injections to help stabilise the economy.

Regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, Parliament also called on the EU and its Member States to facilitate access to vaccines in Yemen, including in camps for internally displaced people.

Arms exports

The resolution called for an EU-wide ban on the export, sale, update and maintenance of any form of security equipment to members of the coalition, including Saudi Arabia and the UAE, given the serious breaches of international humanitarian and human rights law committed in Yemen.

Although, weapons exports remain a national competence of the Member States, Parliament called on them to halt the export of arms to all members of the Saudi-led coalition. It repeated its call for the adoption of a legally binding Council decision on the use of armed drones and compliance with international human rights law and international humanitarian law.

Terrorist groups

Parliament expressed deep concern about the continued presence in Yemen of criminal and terrorist groups, including Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and ISIS/Daesh. It called on all parties to the conflict to take resolute action against such groups. It condemned all acts by all terrorist organisations.

Gender-based violence

Members called for an end to all forms of sexual and gender-based violence against women and girls, including those in detention. The EU should ensure specific funding for local women-led and women’s rights organisations to better reach women, girls and gender-based violence survivors, as well as for programmes dedicated to achieving women’s resilience and economic empowerment.

Freedom of rights

Parliament is deeply concerned about reports of the denial of freedom of religion or belief, including discrimination, unlawful detention and the use of violence. It called for the rights to freedom of expression and belief to be respected and protected, and condemned discrimination on the basis of religious affiliation, notably of Christians, Jews and other religious minorities and non-believers in cases concerning the distribution of humanitarian aid.

The EU and its Member States are called on to use all the tools at their disposal to hold all perpetrators of severe human rights violations to account. Parliament called for the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime to be deployed in order to impose targeted sanctions, such as travel bans and assets freezes, on officials of all parties to the conflict involved in grave human rights violations in Yemen, including Iran, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.