EU praises progress of Yemen's transition and promises more support

EU praises progress of Yemen's transition and promises more  support

Sources : EU press release, 20/11/2012

1. The European Union welcomes the progress achieved under the leadership of President Hadi during the first year of Yemen’s transition. 

This process was set in motion on 23 November 2011, with the signature of the political Transition Agreement and Implementation Mechanism in accordance with the Gulf Cooperation Council Initiative. 

The EU reaffirms its full support for President Hadi and the Yemeni Government in their efforts to implement this agreement and manage a peaceful and orderly transition. 

It also reaffirms its strong commitment to the unity, sovereignty, political independence and territorial integrity of Yemen. 

It stresses the need and urgency of progress in the political, economic, humanitarian and security sectors, in order to meet the high expectations of the Yemeni people by taking steps to improve respect for civil and political rights and their living conditions.

2. The EU emphasises the urgency of progress in initiating the National Dialogue Conference and underlines the importance of respecting the timelines as set out by the GCC initiative. 

It urges all Yemeni stakeholders to support and participate in this process in a constructive manner and without preconditions to ensure that it is fully-inclusive, balanced and transparent, adequately representing all strands of the Yemeni society and reflecting the important role of youth and women.

 The EU also encourages the Yemeni Government and all relevant parties to take measures aimed at improving the political climate ahead of the National Dialogue.

3. The EU welcomes the Yemeni Parliament's mandate to President Hadi to appoint a new Electoral Commission and encourages swift progress in order to take the necessary steps to hold a referendum on the Constitution in 2013 and orderly national elections in early 2014. The EU stands ready to provide electoral assistance as appropriate.

4. The EU strongly condemns all acts of terror. It is also seriously concerned by all actions aimed at undermining, obstructing or derailing the transition, thereby jeopardising further progress in institutional, social and economic reforms. 

It calls on all parties, in particular representatives of the former regime and the military, to work towards full realisation of Yemen’s transition in accordance with the spirit of the Transition Agreement. 

The EU reiterates its readiness to explore all available options to ensure a successful transition, and recalls the United Nations Security Council resolutions 2014 and 2051.

5. The EU is deeply concerned with the constant deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Yemen. Food insecurity and acute malnutrition remain major problems for a large part of the Yemeni population, notably children. In 2012, the EU has increased its efforts to address immediate humanitarian needs and remains fully committed to do so in the future, as needed and feasible.

6. The EU welcomes the successful results of the recent Donors' Conference and Friends of Yemen ministerial meeting, which reaffirmed international support to Yemen. It encourages the Government of Yemen to strengthen the capacity of its institutions and calls on all donors to provide the necessary assistance to do so, to ensure that these pledges be swiftly translated into concrete action to improve the situation of the people of Yemen."