Topic: 2024-Situation in Yemen
Country: Venezuela
Delegate Name: Ethan Hess
Since 2014 the conflict in Yemen has remained in a constant state of turmoil endangering the lives of millions, but this conflict is older than just one decade, with the issues and the Houthi group themself having a history reaching back into the 1990s. The root cause of this issue came from economic issues, religious debates, and corruption from governments, causes which will be a massive undertaking for the United Nations to intervene in. Over twenty million lives are at stake in Yemen, which in itself cries out for foreign assistance, but the UN must be wary of what too much international aid can bring to regions like this. Looking north to the current conflict between Palestine and Israel, we can see the aftermath of the United Nations interrupting the process of National Determination. It is not the belief of Venezuela, or its people that we should abandon these millions of lives, but as the Special Political and Decolonization Committee, we have to ensure we won’t enable any colonization of this region, or create any political systems that will survive the test of time, but rather exacerbate the roots of this conflict.
This conflict is inherently international, as we now live in an intrinsically international world; but it is this international involvement that complicates the Civil War we see in Yemen. The Houthi movement is alleged to have received aid from many neighbours, and the Yemeni government has received both local and far foreign aid. Houthi attacks on trade vessels and the Southern Transitional Council’s potential alliance with Israel to combat this hindrance to trade are just a few examples of these competing powers bringing other nations into the conflict. The United Nations officially recognises the Republic Of Yemen, now partially governed by the Presidential Leadership Council, a body uniting the Southern Transitional Council and the Republic Of Yemen, namely against the threat of Houthi Insurgency.
Venezuela believes that this United Nations Special Council should focus on mitigating the influence of foreign powers in Yemen, and instead ensure the proper government of Yemen can come to a peaceful resolution with the Houthi group, on terms these groups determine. Mitigating the weapons sent to either side and forcing them to find peaceful solutions themselves is the best way this body can ensure lasting stability for the people of Yemen, while not risking a new Palestine-Israel-esque conflict in the already volatile region that is Yemen. Venezuela would look very favourable upon creating, and strengthing existing weapons embargos on both Yemeni groups, and would also be very favourable to the facilitation, but not leading, of peace talks by an impartial United Nations committee, rather than any single nation.
