PLC President, UK Minister Discuss Bilateral Cooperation and Joint Efforts to Counter Houthi Threat

  Riyadh

President Dr. Rashad Al-Alimi, President of the Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), received Mr. Stephen Doughty, the British Minister of State for the Middle East today, Sunday. They discussed the longstanding historic relations between the two friendly countries, joint coordination to counter the Houthi terrorist threat, and ongoing preparations for an international conference in support of Yemen.

During the meeting, the PLC President expressed his deep appreciation for Britain’s honorable stances in support of the Yemeni people and their political leadership. He also commended its economic and humanitarian interventions and its pivotal role as the penholder on Yemen at the UN Security Council.

The President also praised Britain’s strong and proactive stance in confronting Houthi threats. He stressed that protecting international shipping requires eliminating the sources of these threats and supporting the Yemeni state’s efforts to protect its territory and territorial waters.

President Al-Alimi reviewed the latest developments in the Houthi escalation, including attacks on Aden and Al-Rayyan civilian airports, as well as continued assaults on Taiz and the siege imposed on its residents.

He also highlighted the shelling of densely populated neighborhoods and civilian facilities, including markets, schools and homes.

He further addressed the terrorist attacks against civilian objects in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the threats to waterways and international shipping.

He affirmed that these practices demand an international response commensurate with their gravity. He underscored the United Kingdom’s role in mobilizing international support for designating the Houthi militias as a terrorist organization, alongside taking the necessary measures to proscribe them under British law.

He also stressed the importance of complementing political and legal action with effective measures to disrupt the militias’ funding, arms supply and smuggling networks. He called for tighter controls on the transfer of dual-use components and technologies to the militias, alongside support for the government’s efforts to extend its authority over the entire national territory. He noted that this is the only sustainable guarantee for the security of the region and maritime corridors.

The PLC President also addressed the grave human rights violations committed by the Houthi militias, the latest of which was the death of a staff member of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights under torture. He also highlighted the continued arbitrary detention of more than 70 UN staff members and the militias’ obstruction of initiatives aimed at alleviating humanitarian suffering.

President Al-Alimi praised the generous fraternal support provided by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, including its swift response to humanitarian needs in Taiz Governorate and other governorates. This support is through the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre and the Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yemen (SDRPY).

He emphasized that these interventions reflect the Kingdom’s steadfast stances in support of the Yemeni people, its contributions to alleviating their suffering, and its efforts to support and strengthen the capacities of state institutions at all levels.

For his part, the British minister reaffirmed his country’s unwavering support for the Yemeni people and their political leadership, as well as its continued strong backing in the political, security, economic and humanitarian fields. He also reiterated Britain’s support for the government’s efforts to strengthen security and stability and fulfill its essential obligations towards citizens.

Minister Doughty briefed the PLC President on the increase in British assistance to address the repercussions of the humanitarian crisis created by the Houthi terrorist militias with the support of the Iranian regime.

He also outlined the ongoing preparations for the international conference in support of Yemen, scheduled for the end of this month, and the efforts being made to ensure its success. The conference aims to strengthen the response to the country’s economic and humanitarian needs.

The meeting was attended by Dr. Yahya Al-Shuaibi, Director of the Presidency Office and Ms. Abda Sharif, the British Ambassador to Yemen.