EU reiterates support to UN efforts in Yemen

The EU stressed Monday that there can be no military solution to the conflict in Yemen but that the crisis can only be solved through a negotiation process, involving all the parties concerned, to an inclusive political solution, Kuwait News Agency reported .

EU foreign ministers meeting in Luxembourg in a statement reiterated the EU's strong support to the efforts of the UN Secretary General and the UN Special Envoy for Yemen, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, to achieve a resumption of negotiations and urged all parties to the conflict to react in a flexible and constructive manner and without preconditions.

The EU called on all parties to urgently agree on a cessation of hostilities to be monitored by the United Nations as a first step towards the resumption of peace talks under UN leadership.

It also called on all international and regional actors to engage constructively with Yemeni parties to enable a de-escalation of the conflict.

The statement expressed concern at the consequences of the war in Yemen for the region's stability.

"The war has created the conditions for criminal and terrorist organizations like Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, Da'esh in Yemen and others to thrive, " it said.

It urged the Government of Yemen to assume its responsibilities in the fight against terrorist groups which are taking advantage of the current instability.

The EU ueged all parties to the conflict to take resolute action against such groups, whose activities represent an additional threat to a negotiated settlement and pose significant risks to the security of the region and beyond.

The EU welcomed the high-level pledging conference for the crisis in Yemen that will take place on 25 April in Geneva co-hosted by the Secretary-General of the UN and the governments of Sweden and Switzerland.

In a separate statement on Somalia, the EU ministers welcomed the recent conclusion of the electoral process, the election of President Mohamed Abdullahi Mahamed Farmaajo and the formation of a new government, as well as the many new members of Parliament.

It noted that a new partnership agreement between Somalia and the international community is essential if there is to be real progress in delivering on the main security, political and development priorities over the next four years.

The new agreement is expected to be adopted at the London Somalia Conference on 11 May 2017.