Topic: The Situation in Yemen
Country: Russia
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Russia position papers GLIMUN 2017 committees
The situation in Yemen is a humanitarian crisis that is one of the most terrifying the world has ever seen. With famine and disease ravaging millions of people within the country, the conflict has been regarded as one of the worst humanitarian travesties that the world has ever seen. Constant conflict from domestic and international players have turned Yemen into a zone with constant violence with chaos destroying the previous form of order. Houthi rebels in the region have been fighting against the established Yemenis government for years and the violence has only increased. Because of this rebellion, numerous states have involved themselves in the crisis, further entangling the situation and only creating more violence. The violence has also continued to spread outside of Yemen with Houthi rebels launching a missile towards the Saudi capital of Riyadh recently in early November of this year. The search for peace has sadly been overshadowed by the constant need for immediate humanitarian aid and more and more elaborate tactics all aimed to cause more disruption.
Russia, along with other nations, understands that the crisis in Yemen has also created a divisive environment within the Middle East, further spreading the divides between countries and cultures and creating even more conflict between the leaders of the region. In order to progress the goal of a peaceful middle east, the world must unite together to end the violence in Yemen in order to deliver impactful humanitarian aid, and must also restore the Yemenis government in order to provide a stable country for the Yemenis people.
Russia also has numerous allies in the region such as Syria, which is openly supported by the Houthi rebels largely due to their Shia majority, Iran, who is regarded to be a main funder of the rebels, and Saudi Arabia, who has also taken a major lead to unite world powers to support the previous Yemenis government. Russia believes that our relations with Syria, Iran, and Saudi Arabia allow us a unique position in this crisis where we would like to act as a common friend and mediator between all forces involved. Russia would like to work together with these countries and others in order to create a stable set of plans that all of the states can agree on.
Russia believes that the committee must set clear plans to begin cease-fire negotiations that will prevent further violence in the region along with a plan for sending the necessary humanitarian aid. After this, Russia would like to plan further ahead to bring order back to the Yemenis government and remove the remaining terrorist organizations from the region.
Firstly, the committee must be to create stable plans to negotiate a cease-fire agreement between all parties involved in this conflict. This must be done in order to deliver the necessary humanitarian aid and to also create a safer environment that can lead to the reestablishment of the Yemenis government. Russia believes that the United Nations and willing countries should begin to facilitate peace talks between the Houthi rebels and the Yemenis Government with the cooperation of Iran and the Saudi led coalition. The ceasefire will include, but not be limited too, an agreement that the Saudi led coalition will end their air and sea blockade in the region in order to allow United Nations facilitated aid to be transported to those in need. This includes allowing access to previously closed airports and shipping docks. Along with the removal of blockades, all military action in the region must be halted in order to ensure the peaceful transportation of basic goods. This includes the immediate end to all missile attacks from the Saudi led coalition and Houthi forces, along with the immediate halt to all military action on the ground by the Houthi rebels and the Yemenis military. The humanitarian aid will be supplied by a United Nation let effort with assistance from non-government organizations such as the Red Cross. Along with this, Russia believes it could be beneficial to request United Nations Peace Keeper Assistance from the Security Council in order to ensure that terrorist groups in the region, such as Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant, to not try to prevent aid from reaching those in need.
Secondly, once a ceasefire is negotiated and implemented, Russia believes that the current governmental system within Yemen must be restored to its former state in order to restabilize the country and establish a governmental order with the goal of providing a sound governmental structure for the terrorized Yemenis people. However, the government must be restored through United Nations mediated talks based on a broad consensus between all main Yemen political forces and not through a bias negotiation process that will cause further distrust between all parties. The main goal of reestablishing the government must be to prevent the conflict from arising again.
Thirdly, once these goals are achieved, Russia believes there should be an immediate assessment of the status of terrorism in the region in order to suppress the remaining terrorist organizations within Yemen. This step must only be taken after the Yemenis government has been restored to a state of mutual satisfaction, but this issue should be listed to be evaluated by the committee at a later time.
All other efforts such as United Nations Investigation must only be discussed after the Yemenis Government is restored and the humanitarian crisis is resolved to its fullest potential. To hastily create an investigation during this committee’s session could put United Nations workers at risk and potentially quell all efforts to find a peaceful agreement. Russia recommends that this topic not be discussed at in fear of losing support from major entities within this conflict.
Russia looks forward to working with friends and allies to create a solid set of plans that will lead to a process of peace.
