OIC Contact Group Warns against Yemen Turning to Terror Haven
Jeddah, MINA – The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Ministerial Contact Group on Yemen has warned against the possibility of Yemen turning to a terror haven and source of threats to neighbouring countries should all parties concerned fail to continue their concerted action to restore peace in the country.
This came in a meeting the Group held on the sidelines of the emergency meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers, which convened in Jeddah Sunday at the request of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to discuss the repercussions of the launching of a ballistic missile by the Houthi militias on Riyadh, WAM reported.
A preparatory meeting at the delegate level preceded the ministerial meeting to discuss its draft final communiqué.
Dr. Yousef Al-Othaimeen, the OIC Secretary General, addressed the ministerial meeting on the OIC position concerning the repeated attacks by the Houthi militias on the territory of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Al-Othaimeen expressed the OIC’s rejection and condemnation of the Houthi group’s refusal to respond positively to the UN and regional efforts to resolve the Yemeni crisis by peaceful means, its ongoing violations of the human rights of the Yemeni people, and the recent murder of the former Yemeni President and senior politicians.
The Secretary-General reiterated the OIC’s condemnation of the continued launching of ballistic missiles by the Houthi group and those supporting them with military material and money on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the continued disregard by those supporting Al-Houthi for the relevant Security Council resolutions and the Communiqué issued the OIC Emergency Ministerial Meeting held on 17 November 2016 , which called for non-interference in the internal affairs of States and the threatening of their security.
On the other hand, the Final Communiqué of the meeting of the Contact Group reiterated its strong commitment to standing with Yemen’s unity, sovereignty, political independence and territorial integrity and the rejection of any interference in its internal affairs.
It also reaffirmed support for and solidarity with the Yemeni people and their aspirations for freedom, democracy, social justice and comprehensive development.
The meeting commended the role of the Arab Coalition countries and all Arab and Islamic countries in supporting the legitimate leadership in Yemen and the Yemeni people, and supporting the peaceful solution and the reconstruction of Yemen.
It also called on the OIC Member States to intensify and coordinate their efforts with a view to reaching a political solution to the Yemeni crisis, support the legitimate State authorities, and provide more humanitarian and development assistance.
The meeting strongly condemned the Houthi militias’ military actions on the Yemeni-Saudi border, the bombing of facilities and citizens inside Saudi territory, and the launching of ballistic missiles against Saudi Arabia, an act considered as a blatant aggression against Saudi territory and a threat to regional peace and stability.
The meeting underlined the need to continue joint and determined work to avoid that Yemen turn into a haven for violent groups and terrorist organizations and a source of threat to the security and stability of neighboring countries, calling for all necessary measures to be taking to this end.
On the humanitarian level, the meeting called on the OIC to continue coordination with King Salman Relief Center and the United Nations in order to convene a donors’ conference for the reconstruction of Yemen.
The meeting would mobilise the urgent resources required to address the critical situation and provide the requirements of the current phase in coordination with the Yemeni Government and regional and international partners, including King Salman Relief Center, the United Nations and its humanitarian and development agencies, through the OIC humanitarian action coordination mechanism. (T/RS5/RS1)
Mi’raj Islamic News Agency MINA)
