MP, Labour’s Shadow
Foreign Secretary, responding to the publication of
a UN report showing that Yemen has moved closer to famine, said:
“Yemen urgently needs a ceasefire, a political settlement, and
food aid. It does not need more bombing.
“Britain must stop selling billions of pounds’ worth of arms to
Saudi Arabia. This is only prolonging the conflict. We are
providing the means for the Saudis to continue a war which has
been shown to include the aerial bombardment of farming land,
fishing boats, and ports that provide access for
desperately-needed humanitarian aid.”
Ends
Notes to editors:
-
· Today’s
report, published by the Integrated Food Security Phase
Classification (IPC), is now available online.
-
· The
report states that 60 percent of the Yemeni population is
now classed as ‘food insecure’ and therefore in need of
humanitarian assistance, and that for 6.8 million Yemenis the
situation is classed as an ‘emergency’: one step away from
famine.
-
· The
report also finds that Yemen’s ability to feed itself has been
significantly affected by the current conflict, noting that
agriculture and fishing normally provide around 25 percent
of the country’s food needs but that production has plummeted
since the war began, partly because most fishing boats have been
destroyed and ports have been closed or damaged, partly as a
result of Saudi bombing.
