Yemen urges legal action to cut Houthi funding sources

Yemen’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates has called on the international community to take legal measures to cut off sources of funding for the Houthi militia.

The ministry welcomed the joint statement issued after the meeting of G7 foreign ministers and the EU High Representative in Paris on November 9 and 10, praising its strong condemnation of ongoing attacks by the Houthi militia in Yemen and against Saudi Arabia, including targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure.

In a statement issued today, the ministry commended the declaration’s solidarity with the Yemeni government and Saudi Arabia, and its affirmation of their right to defend their security, sovereignty, and territorial integrity in accordance with international law.

The ministry also expressed appreciation for the statement’s call on Iran to halt its arming and support of the militia, stressing that continued support in violation of relevant UN Security Council resolutions fuels escalation.

The ministry valued the statement’s call to protect civilians, urgently open a humanitarian corridor in Taiz to ensure safe and unhindered delivery of aid, and to immediately and unconditionally release all humanitarian workers detained by the militia, including 70 UN staff. It also noted the importance of continued support for the Yemeni government and capacity building.

The ministry stressed that militia attacks pose a cross-border threat to the safety of civilians, vital infrastructure, and maritime security in the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandab Strait, and Gulf of Aden. It renewed its call for coordinated international efforts to consider designating the militia as a terrorist organization and to take legal action to cut off its funding and restrict its transactions.

The ministry affirmed that the government remains committed to its constitutional responsibilities to protect its citizens and national resources, restore state institutions, reestablish authority across all Yemeni territory, and end the Houthi coup, in accordance with Yemeni decisions and with the support of the Coalition to Support Legitimacy led by Saudi Arabia.

The ministry called on the international community to translate these positions into practical steps, foremost among them enforcing the arms embargo on the militia and holding it accountable for crimes against Yemenis, stressing that Yemen’s security, regional stability, and the safety of international navigation are inseparable.