Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council member Abdullah Al-Alimi called on the international community to move from a policy of "crisis management" to a strategic partnership with Yemen, stressing that Yemenis are not asking the world to fight their battle on their behalf, but to implement its own decisions, stop the flow of weapons and technology to the Houthis, and support the capabilities of the Yemeni state and its economy.
Speaking on behalf of Yemen at the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Al-Alimi said the Yemeni government is capable of ending the Houthi threat and protecting the country's ports and territorial waters. He called on the international community to fulfill its responsibilities toward Yemen, the region, and international peace and security.
Al-Alimi placed the call for an international partnership at the center of his message, stressing that international resolutions alone cannot create peace unless there is the will to implement them. He said peace "is not a wish to be hoped for," but requires firm resolve and action to deter those who threaten the security and stability of states.
He criticized what he described as the absence of an effective and decisive international position toward the Houthis, saying this had contributed to the group's expanding influence and threat. He also linked the continuation of the crisis to Iranian support, which he said the Houthis receive in the form of weapons, expertise, and military technology.
He said Yemenis have endured 12 years of war, displacement, poverty, child recruitment, landmines, and the seizure of rights, freedoms, and public resources. He said the government had dealt responsibly with international and regional initiatives and made concessions for the sake of peace, while the Houthis, according to his account, responded to those efforts with intransigence and used periods of truce to strengthen their military arsenal.
Global Threat
The Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council member devoted a significant part of his speech to the security of the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb, stressing that the Houthis' use of maritime security as a means of exerting pressure is not a threat to Yemen alone, but affects the global economy.
Al-Alimi said securing the sea begins with addressing the source of the threat on land, warning that protecting ships does not eliminate the threat as long as an armed group outside the authority of the state remains on the shores of the maritime routes.
He directly linked restoring state authority with the security of Bab el-Mandeb, saying the two issues are "one issue, not two," and that supporting the Yemeni government and strengthening its economic, security, and military capabilities represents an investment in the future of global security and safety.
He also hailed Saudi Arabia's initiative to establish a multinational maritime defense coalition, saying it reflects, according to his speech, a shared responsibility to protect maritime navigation, deter threats, and combat smuggling.
Restoring the State
The Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council member said his government remains committed to peace, but will not accept an armed coup becoming a fait accompli, stressing that "peace requires actions from the Houthis, not words."
He said the Yemen issue is not only about how to end the war, but also about what kind of Yemen will be built afterward. He spoke of a secure, stable, and prosperous state that rebuilds its economy, provides education, employment, and security, and becomes a partner to its neighbors and a bridge for trade and cooperation between the Arabian Peninsula, the Horn of Africa, and the wider world.
Addressing Yemenis in areas under Houthi control, he stressed that the government's fight is not against citizens, regions, or sects, but against an "armed coup that has seized the state and its institutions." He said restoring the state is not a victory for one Yemeni side over another, but the restoration of the right of all Yemenis to their state and institutions.
