Organisation of Islamic Cooperation
The Collective Voice of The Muslim World
Date: 21/01/2018
The OIC Contact Group on Yemen held a meeting on the sidelines of the Emergency Meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the OIC Member States (CFM) on 21 January 2018 at the headquarters of the OIC General Secretariat in Jeddah under the chairmanship of the OIC Secretary General, Dr Yousef Bin Ahmed Al Othaimeen.
In his speech, the Secretary-General stressed that the OIC has been closely following the developments in Yemen, stressing the need to continue supporting the constitutional legitimacy represented by His Excellency President Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi, President of the Republic of Yemen. The Secretary-General reiterated the OIC’s commitment to stand with the Yemeni President and with the unity and territorial integrity of Yemen, in accordance with international legitimacy, the relevant UN resolutions, the GCC Initiative and its operational mechanisms, and the outcomes of the Comprehensive National Dialogue.
Al-Othaimeen expressed the OIC’s rejection and condemnation of the Houthi group's refusal to respond positively to the UN and regional efforts to resolve the Yemeni crisis by peaceful means, its ongoing violations of the human rights of the Yemeni people, and the recent murder of the former Yemeni President and senior politicians.
The Secretary-General reiterated the OIC’s condemnation of the continued launching of ballistic missiles by the Houthi group and those supporting them with military material and money mon the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the continued disregard by those supporting Al-Houthi for the relevant Security Council resolutions and the Communiqué issued the OIC Emergency Ministerial Meeting held on 17 November 2016 , Which called for non-interference in the internal affairs of States and the threatening of their security.
On the other hand, the Final Communiqué of the meeting of the Contact Group reiterated its strong commitment to standing with Yemen's unity, sovereignty, political independence and territorial integrity and the rejection of any interference in its internal affairs. It also reaffirmed support for and solidarity with the Yemeni people and their aspirations for freedom, democracy, social justice and comprehensive development.
The meeting commended the role of the Arab Coalition countries and all Arab and Islamic countries in supporting the legitimate leadership in Yemen and the Yemeni people, and supporting the peaceful solution and the reconstruction of Yemen. It also called on the OIC Member States to intensify and coordinate their efforts with a view to reaching a political solution to the Yemeni crisis, support the legitimate State authorities, and provide more humanitarian and development assistance.
The meeting strongly condemned the Houthi militias’ military actions on the Yemeni-Saudi border, the bombing of facilities and citizens inside Saudi territory, and the launching of ballistic missiles against Saudi Arabia, an act considered as a blatant aggression against Saudi territory and a threat to regional peace and stability.
The meeting stressed the need to continue joint and determined work to avoid that Yemen turn into a haven for violent groups and terrorist organizations and a source of threat to the security and stability of neighboring countries, calling for all necessary measures to be taking to this end.
The Contact Group stressed support for the efforts of the United Nations international Envoy to find a peaceful solution to the Yemeni crisis and to spare the country further violence and destruction.
On the humanitarian level, the meeting called on the OIC to continue coordination with King Salman Relief Center and the United Nations in order to convene a donors’ conference for the reconstruction of Yemen. The meeting would mobilize the urgent resources required to address the critical situation and provide the requirements of the current phase in coordination with the Yemeni Government and regional and international partners, including King Salman Relief Center, the United Nations and its humanitarian and development agencies, through the OIC humanitarian action coordination mechanism.
Related: Yemen
