Asked by
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to
resolve the famine in Yemen.
The Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development
Office () (Con) [V]
My Lords, we remain deeply concerned by the ongoing conflict and
risk of famine in Yemen. The United Kingdom is playing a leading
role in combating hunger, contributing over £1 billion in aid
since the conflict began. To respond to this crisis, in the next
financial year, the UK will feed 240,000 of the most vulnerable
Yemenis every month and provide one-off cash support for 1.5
million of Yemen’s poorest households. The UK is also providing
the Yemeni Government with technical economic support to
stabilise the currency, which will help to reduce food prices.
(LD) [V]
By 2018, 85,000 children had starved to death in Yemen. Another
18 million people are on the verge of starvation, and yet we are
going to cut overseas aid. Is not the least that we can do to
help Yemen and other places to restore aid to its previous level?
(Con) [V]
My Lords, we have debated concerns over the ODA reduction on a
number of occasions in this House. I appreciate the sentiments
expressed but, notwithstanding the nature of the economic outlook
that we face, the United Kingdom continues to support our aid
efforts around the world, including in Yemen, as I have already
said.
(Lab)
My Lords, the Minister will surely agree that the Houthis, who
control 75% to 80% of the population, are critical to finding a
political solution to the problem, more so as the Saudis are
seeking an exit. Is there any evidence that the Houthis are
responding positively to the new UN peace plan? In particular,
are they prepared to facilitate humanitarian access to tackle
Covid, cholera and widespread starvation?
(Con) [V]
My Lords, we have seen, including in this week, some positive
steps from Saudi Arabia, in the nationwide ceasefire that it
called for and the opening up of key ports, for both aid and
fuel. However, the Houthis’ behaviour in this humanitarian crisis
continues to worsen. We therefore call upon them again to cease
their activities, so that we can progress a peaceful settlement
in the interests of all Yemenis.
(LD)
Does the Minister properly understand that many Members of this
House regard the cut in aid to Yemen as shameful, first, because
of the adverse impact it will have on people suffering the worst
humanitarian crisis in the world? Equally important is the impact
on the morale of the dedicated aid workers, who are trying to
stem the tide of misery.
(Con) [V]
My Lords, as I have already said, I respect the views expressed
in your Lordships’ House on this important subject. I recognise
that reductions have been made in our support through the cuts in
ODA. Nevertheless, we continue to support humanitarian efforts in
Yemen and the political efforts to bring about a peaceful
settlement to this conflict.
(Con)
My Lords, one of the terrible consequences of the conflict in
Yemen is the increase in child marriage. According to CARE
International, more than two-thirds of girls are now married by
the age of 18, as their families struggle to cope. The UK has
long been a global champion and a leading donor in the efforts to
end child marriage. Can the Minister tell me what we are doing to
help the girls of Yemen, and give me any reassurance that the
UK’s vital work to end child marriage will be protected from the
cuts to international development spend?
(Con) [V]
My Lords, my noble friend is right, and the United Kingdom stands
firm in its opposition to the abhorrent practice of child
marriage. We will continue to defend the rights of children,
particularly young girls, who are vulnerable to this. That work
will continue not just in Yemen but elsewhere. As I am sure my
noble friend recognises, the access situation in Yemen is
extremely challenging. Therefore, the political settlement must
proceed, and then we can look forward to playing our part to
ensure that the rights of every girl in Yemen and elsewhere are
protected.
(CB)
[V]
My Lords, the khat crop in Yemen is widely cultivated because it
yields a greater income than food. If, however, this income falls
and food prices increase due to scarcity, the inevitable
consequence is widespread starvation. Will the FCDO support a
return to pre-cut levels of aid and consider direct injections of
cash into the market to stabilise prices and avoid the already
very poor and meagre food aid distribution networks?
(Con) [V]
[Inaudible]—food security. In this regard, it is not just a
challenge of getting humanitarian aid to the most vulnerable. I
assure the noble Baroness that we are also working directly with
the Central Bank of Yemen and the Government to prop up the
economy and facilitate food imports, and indeed to reduce food
prices. That is part of the technical support we extend and will
continue to extend.
(Lab)
My Lords, a recent UN IPC food security report found that half a
million children aged between zero and four are acutely
malnourished and 100,000 are severely malnourished. The IRC Yemen
country director said that we cannot wait for widespread famine
to be declared in the country; by then it would be too late. Let
us have another go: can the Minister explain how halving aid
spending in a country facing famine supports efforts to protect
20 million people from catastrophic famine?
(Con) [V]
My Lords, the noble Lord knows that we have made it very clear
that we have been challenged in our budgets through the Covid
crisis and domestic challenges. Nevertheless, we are spending £10
billion on ODA. In Yemen specifically, this will mean that
240,000 Yemenis will be directly assisted. We are establishing
400 healthcare centres. We are also working on important and
vital sanitation links and water projects. This is all part of
our effort with the global community, but what is needed in Yemen
most urgently is a peaceful political resolution. As I have said,
we are working very much on that priority as well.
(LD)
My Lords, Saudi Arabia was the world’s largest arms importer from
2015 to 2019. The Saudi-led coalition imposed a blockade on Yemen
and used the arms for deadly air strikes on civilian targets,
leading to the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. Is it the
Government’s view that the US and Italy stopping arms sales to
Saudi Arabia will help end the conflict? Will we consider joining
them?
(Con) [V]
My Lords, as I have said on repeated occasions from the Dispatch
Box, we look at our arms exports very carefully and take our
responsibilities in this respect very seriously. We assess our
export licences in accordance with strict licensing criteria. We
also welcome, as I am sure the noble Baroness does, the
announcement from Saudi Arabia of a nationwide ceasefire. We hope
that all sides of the conflict will now adhere to it.
(Non-Afl)
My Lords, the humanitarian crisis could be greatly worsened if
the oil tanker FSO “Safer”, currently off the Yemeni coast, is
allowed to continue to decay. We face the greatest environmental
disaster of the century. Can the Minister say whether the
Islamist Houthi regime is continuing to stall on allowing UN
experts to inspect this ship?
(Con) [V]
My Lords, sadly, the short answer is yes. The UK has already
contributed £2.5 million to fund this mission, but it is for the
Houthis to facilitate the mission’s access and deployment.
(Con) [V]
My Lords, we know that the only way to avert famine in the long
term is to end the conflict and create a peace in which all
members of society can prosper. A lasting peace requires justice
and accountability for the many crimes committed in Yemen. I
welcome the establishment of the International Accountability
Platform for Belarus. Does my noble friend agree that such a
platform is also needed for Yemen to ensure that justice and
accountability become more than just aspirations in that country?
(Con) [V]
[Inaudible]—justice and accountability. Like all noble Lords, I
hope that, through the political settlement, we will see justice
and accountability for the innocent victims of this conflict.
(CB)
[V]
The suffering in the civil war has been made worse by our selling
arms to Saudi Arabia, allowing it to interfere in the conflict
for its own ends, with indiscriminate bombing of homes, attacks
on fleeing innocents and deliberate attacks on food supplies.
Will the Minister agree that the usual response of us having a
strict arms sales policy no longer holds water? Making money out
of suffering can never be justified and we have a moral duty to
provide redress.
(Con) [V]
My Lords, I agree with the noble Lord that it is important that
the United Kingdom plays its part in ensuring that the
humanitarian suffering is alleviated, notwithstanding our
domestic challenges, which are quite impactful on our
international support. We are playing our part. We are also
lending support to the political settlement. As I indicated in
response to an earlier question, we take a very robust approach
when it comes to arms exports.
