Topic: The Situation in Yemen
Country: South Africa
Delegate Name: Drew Thakkar
School: Grand Blanc High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All South Africa position papers GLIMUN 2017 committees
The Yemen Civil War is a terrifying issue that the international community is forced to face. There has been a massive cholera outbreak, and millions cling to life. The deadly outbreak is the direct consequence of two years of heavy conflict. Collapsing health, water and sanitation systems have cut off approximately 14.5 million people from regular access to clean water and sanitation, increasing the ability of the disease to spread. Rising rates of malnutrition have weakened the children's health and made them more vulnerable to disease. In response, the World Health Organization has partnered with 50 different organizations across and trained around 900 health workers in Yemen to combat the cholera crisis. Among the other efforts implemented: the opening of 36 diarrhea treatment centers and 139 oral rehydration corners, medical resources, including 1 million bags of IV fluids and 1450 cholera beds, and 158 cholera kits.
As a result, more than 700,000 people have been treated for suspected cholera. The response has also contributed to a decline in cases in some of the worst-affected districts in the country. South Africa believes that there must be more intense and rapid deployment of aid workers and other supplies in the region. Thanks to current efforts, more than 99% of the suspected cases are no longer in life-threatening situations. With more responses like that of WHO’s, the only workable solution to this behemoth of a conflict is through diplomacy and other critical compromises.
It is important to first understand the background of this issue, so that the committee may construct an equitable solution. In 2015, two factions claiming to constitute the Yemeni government, along with their supporters and allies started to fight. Houthi forces controlling the capital Sana'a and allied with forces loyal to the former president Ali Abdullah Saleh have clashed with forces loyal to the government of Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, based in Aden. Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant have also carried out attacks, with Al-Qaeda controlling swathes of territory in the hinterlands and along stretches of the coast.
South Africa firmly believes that using any form of military force against the people of Yemen would further destabilize the Middle East and instigate more chaos and insecurity in the world. In the eyes of many coalition countries, the military intervention in Yemen is completely justified. However, the international community must point out that the Saudi-led airstrikes violate basic international laws. The United Nations has already concluded that the Saudi coalition has conducted air strikes that had targeted civilians, including camps for internally displaced people, weddings, schools, religious centers, hospitals, vehicles, and markets. Subsequently, Saudi Arabia and other coalition countries must work to end this tide of attacks on the people of Yemen.
The committee must demand a swift end to this atrocious military intervention by the Saudi-led coalition. More importantly, the United States, a key member of the coalition, should review its policy of support for Saudi Arabia’s actions in Yemen. The effects of their military intervention are clear: 8,100 civilians were killed or wounded between 26 March and the end of 2015, the vast majority from airstrikes by Saudi-led coalition forces, according to the human rights office.
Besides devastating civilian casualties, the Saudi-led coalition has also damaged critical infrastructure, which has prevented from any humanitarian aid being delivered to those affected, making this the world’s largest humanitarian crisis. Severe damage has been caused by Saudi attacks on Yemen's airports. The coalition continues to obstruct the delivery of much-needed humanitarian assistance and other supplies according to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). Simply put, Saudi blockades and diversions of aid vessels have not helped with this situation, but have in fact worsened it.
In order to mitigate this crisis, South Africa believes that the United Nations must discipline the countries who further all of this destruction, and then move to transport aid to the region. The issue of ongoing efforts toward regional hegemony by Saudi Arabia and Iran are separate. The committee's sole focus should be to alleviate the humanitarian crisis, without stepping into the waters of geopolitical controversy. In fact, it would be in the national security interest of all stakeholders to come to establish a peace process and help those affected.
The United Nations would also do well to encourage all member nations, especially in the Middle East, to contribute sums of money to a collective fund. A separate committee or agency such as an International Aid Fund, specifically for this crisis, shall be established in order to oversee contributions and allocation of funds. South Africa is of the belief that without full commitment from all countries, we will not be able to come to the aid of the innocent lives who continue to cling to life.
More importantly, all surrounding countries must contribute to a peace process specifically between the Houthi rebels and the Yemeni government. Iran and Saudi Arabia are obligated to eliminate the flow of weapons into the region, which would allow aid supplies to be delivered, and aid workers would be able to assist those affected. As in every conflict, South Africa reaffirms its commitment to international peace and stability solely through dialogue, without arms races between countries vying for influence.
In sum, the committee must work toward a gradual peace process within an agreed framework. In the South African view, the top priority of the committee should be to achieve the completely unhindered deliverance of aid supplies to those affected. Iran and Saudi Arabia are driving much of this conflict, and U.S. support of the bombing of innocents in the region does not help. This is why all countries must come to an agreement, which would let aid workers perform their tasks as necessary.
