H.E DR. ALI AL-ZANEM – CVF Global Parliamentarians Meeting

H.E DR. ALI AL-ZANEM – CVF Global Parliamentarians Meeting, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Committee of the Yemeni Parliament

CVF Global Parliamentarians Meeting

“Parliamentarians of Climate Threatened Nations Championing Planetary Prosperity”

November 25, 2020

Mr. Saber Chowdhury,

Honorary President Inter-Parliamentary Union Chair,

Bangladesh Parliamentary Standing Committee on MoEFCC

Mr. Mohamed Nasheed,

Speaker Maldives People’s Majlis

CVF Thematic Ambassador for Ambition

Ms. Loren Legarda,

Deputy Speaker Philippines

CVF Thematic Ambassador for Parliaments

Ladies and gentlemen participating from countries, international

organizations and personalities interested in climate issues, 

First, I would like to thank you for inviting the Yemeni House of Representatives in the Republic of Yemen, in the capital, Sana’a, represented by Mr. Yahya Ali Al-Ra’i, Speaker of the Parliament to participate in the online webinar inaugural global meeting of CVF parliamentarians in collaboration with the Inter-Parliamentary Union and Global Center on Adaptation.

We are pleased to participate in the name of the House of Representatives in the Republic of Yemen from the historical capital of Sana’a. We convey to you the greetings of the Presidency and the MPs of the House of Representatives represented by Mr. Yahya Ali Al-Ra’i, the Speaker of the Parliament who assigned me to participate in this important webinar. The issue of climate change is considered a global concern which needs great international efforts to overcome its serious effects reflecting directly and indirectly on the confrontation of the epidemics that spread in most countries of the world, the last of which is the Corona pandemic sweeping the world.

Also, the role of parliaments to enhance the level of commitment to the Paris Agreement and the specific contributions to the national reporting of each country should be addressed. In addition, the repercussions of climate change that impede the advancement of social and economic development and the achievement of sustainable development goals that need to be effectively addressed in climate change.

Ladies and gentlemen participating in the webinar,

We look forward to benefiting from all the new developments in the practical steps that parliamentarians can take to combat climate change through more determined and ambitious measures, and to carry out comprehensive global awareness in order to keep the world on the right track and not to exceed the negative indicator and the increased risk to the world’s population, especially societies most vulnerable to climate change or for their unrest conditions.

Ladies and gentlemen,

We are in the Republic of Yemen, and through the participation of the Yemeni parliament in this webinar or other webinars and conferences related to climate change and the treatments that should be undertaken by parliaments and governments in various countries of the world, we express our agreement on all positive measures that are in the interest of all mankind and in a way that enhances commitment to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate in Paris and others, even if there are so-called super-states that manipulate this global file, which sometimes participate and other times withdraw from the Paris Agreement like the troubled US administration.

We show here our great interaction on climate issues and Yemen’s readiness to activate parliamentary and legislative work, in coordination with the government, by taking practical steps to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement and others. However, we direct a question through this global webinar, to the General Secretariat of the International Parliament and to all the liberal countries of the world participating in this webinar.

Where are you from the forgotten war in Yemen?! It has been six years of brutal aggression waged on our homeland and the destruction of everything related to the lives of the Yemeni people and the migrants and refugees who live on our land, as thousands of whom flock to Yemen daily, adding to the suffering of an already suffering country, which has created the worst humanitarian suffering ever.

Ladies and gentlemen participating in the webinar, 

Today we are talking about climate and its effects, and in Yemen specifically, how do we talk about the effects of the climate in a time we have not been able to go beyond the effects of aggression, total war and internationally prohibited bombs that fall on the Yemeni people and create disasters and thousands of victims, and partial and total disabilities, and its impact on the environment and climate as a result of the use of internationally prohibited weapons.

For those who ignore the scale of the disaster, we remind you of the bombs that were thrown on Attan Mount in the capital, Sana’a, which resulted in the devastation and effects that we suffer from to this day.

This is an example, not to mention the other strikes that affected agricultural and livestock wealth, water and energy resources, etc., which increased the suffering of the Yemeni people.

Ladies and gentlemen,

We tell you, through this webinar, the Yemeni people, despite their persistence and endurance of all intolerable, the American aggression, through its tools in the region, represented by the Saudi and Emirati regimes, is killing Yemenis daily through the destructive planes and missiles. Rather, for six years, they sought to besiege the Yemeni people on land, air and sea, withholding food, medicine and oil derivatives from them, closing airports, preventing the sick and others from traveling, and bearing the Yemeni people the burdens of the siege and war without mercy or an iota of humanity.

All participants,

Interrupting salaries of state employees for years by the aggression is another crime that they commit as a result of controlling more than 90% of the country’s resources, which they obtain in the land, sea and air outlets from the government in exile located in the hotels of Riyadh and the capitals of the countries participating in the aggression against Yemen.

The high unemployment and poverty rates have reached frightening levels that no country has ever reported, and the world and the countries participating in the aggression are watching and take pleasure in killing children, women and the elderly of the Yemeni people. We lost our infrastructure, and the service sectors were directly affected, including health, water, sanitation, education, agriculture and others. We have great statistics about the losses of all the state and private sectors as a result of the aggression and the blockade.

All of this is undoubtedly reflected in the undermining of the state’s ability. No matter the system of legislation is strong, it will stand helpless to confront the effects of climate change on the social stability of the local communities that suffer from war and blockade. Therefore, we demand a firm international position to stand with the oppressed and aggressed peoples and pressure to stop the aggression and lift the blockade to alleviate the suffering of the people Yemeni. The Yemeni parliament has endeavored to enact laws for the environment, the effects of climate, or any natural changes that affect the environment. With regard to the Paris Agreement and all relevant international agreements, the Constitution of Yemen confirms: In article (6): The Republic of Yemen confirms its adherence to the UN Charter, the International Declaration of Human Rights, the Charter of the Arab League, and Principles of international Law which are generally recognized.

In article (33): In cooperation with society, the state bears responsibility for consequences resulting from natural disasters and public crises.

And article (35) confirms that the environmental protection is the collective responsibility of the state and the community at large. Each individual shall have a religious and national duty to protect the environment.

In light of the foregoing, the relevant laws reflecting the constitution were issued, including Law No. (26) of 1995 regarding the protection of the environment and Law No. (16) of 2004 regarding the protection of the marine environment from pollution.

There are other laws related to cleaning and improvement funds in the governorates. However, the problem is not in the local laws as it is possible to enact or amend any laws that serve this aspect in line with international agreements that Yemen has ratifies according to its laws and context, yet the problem is in the suffering of Yemeni people and the needs to overcome the effects of war and blockade in order to be able to face the climate or environmental changes and be a key partner in the relevant international organizations. In order to overcome the suffering of Yemen, we present to the ladies and gentlemen in this webinar the following points that have a direct and indirect impact on the environment and climate change and their impact on societies. Place pressure to stop the aggression on Yemen and end the land, sea and air blockade. Allow the unimpeded flow of petroleum, food and pharmaceutical Products. Hold an urgent international conference to reconstruct the destruction of war and blockade. Address the environmental problems caused by the war and the use of internationally banned weapons by the Saudi-led coalition countries.

Rehabilitate and support the state agencies concerned with protecting the environment and climate change, and relevant aspects, as they were affected by the war and blockade. Create sustainable development as Yemen needs exceptional international support to support the 5-year Yemen development plan to be approved through an international conference, including aspects related to the environment, climate change and their impact on the society.

To encounter the effects of climate change, Yemen needs support for the sectors of health, water, environment, agriculture, migration and the influx of refugees to Yemen. Combat poverty and unemployment, which has increased as a result of the aggression and blockade.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

We address the world and hold them the moral responsibility and selfishness, as we do not see a positive reaction to what is happening to the Yemeni people by the forces of aggression other than some of the positions of the countries that we thank them for, especially the parliaments that have approved the prohibition of arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the UAE which placed a pressure on the governments of those countries that trade in arms sales to kill free peoples who are steadfast in the face of the forces of arrogance, such as the Yemeni people who represent an honorable model for the peoples of the earth.

We also highly value the countries that have started to break the diplomatic and political blockade on the Republic of Yemen and sent their ambassadors to the capital, Sanaa, and we did the same to them, and in the forefront of which are the Syrian Arab Republic and the Islamic Republic of Iran. These equal relations come in accordance with the relevant international norms and conventions and the diplomacy based on the brotherly relationship and the exchange of shared interests of our countries, far from interfering in the internal affairs and the peculiarities of the Yemeni people.

We would like to seize the opportunity through the free international forum and invite the world countries that are biased to their values and independence and are not under the American and Israeli hegemony and the GCC money to resume their diplomatic relationships with the Supreme Political Council and the National Salvation Government in the Republic of Yemen in the capital, Sanaa, which enjoys security, stability and a suitable climate to establish bilateral relations serving the interests of the Yemeni people with other brotherly and friendly Arab nations.

Therefore, the time is ripe for Yemen to open up to the world and break the political and diplomatic blockade.

Finally, we affirm that peace is our goal, and a number of initiatives have been presented, including by His Excellency, the President of the Supreme Political Council, Field Marshal Mahdi Al-Mashat, aimed at achieving honorable peace for all Yemenis with neighboring countries.

We also salute all efforts aimed at establishing peace, stopping the war, lifting the blockade, launching trade movement without hindrances, ending the issue of prisoners as well as all issues such as a Safer tanker, and opening roads between Yemeni cities. Also, stopping the tampering carried out by the aggression countries in the southern and eastern governorates, including what is happening in Mahra, Socotra, Shabwa and others.

Ladies and Gentlemen

In conclusion, in order for us to walk with you on climate issues to the fullest extent, we invite you to walk with us on the path of peace, even if it is difficult as we are looking for a just and honorable peace worthy of the huge sacrifices made by the Yemeni people, including convoys of martyrs and wounded, in search of freedom and the removal of tutelage, wherever it was.

The end of the war in Yemen means we are devoted to the climate, sustainable development, reconstruction, and activating the role of Parliament in this direction.

Finally, we hope this global webinar comes out with results to be reflected in achieving stability to live safely from natural disasters, climate change, and state interference in the affairs of others, a reckless intervention as is the case in my country, Yemen.

With utmost respect to all of you,

H.E Dr. Ali Al-Zanem Statement – PDF