According to United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres, the crises in Yemen is the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, with over.
Saudi Arabia has been bombing the country since 2015, and in November Saudi Arabia and its Gulf allies strengthened pre-existing blockades on Yemeni ports, airports and borders crossings; restricting food, aid and vital supplies from entering the country.
The Saudi-led coalition have claimed these restrictions have since been lifted, but humanitarian worker Suze van Meegen, who recently visited the main port of Hodeida, described the port as a ‘wasteland’.
The UN Security Council warned last month that conditions in Yemen were further deteriorating as a result of ongoing bombing and blockades.
French President Emmanuel Macron is set to welcome Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Paris for a three-day trip starting on Sunday; the latest destination in a world-wide tour for the 32-year-old Prince and de-factor leader of Saudi Arabia.
International human rights groups have called on Macron to pressure Prince Mohammed to take action to protect the civilian population in Yemen and end the conflict.
A statement from Amnesty International, the International Federation for Human Rights and Human Rights Watch, said: “Emmanuel Macron should put Yemen at the centre of his discussions with Mohammed bin Salman as he hosts him in France.
“As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, it (France) must do its utmost to demand that Saudi Arabia respects its international obligations.”
The human rights groups also called for the “end of bombing of civilians and respect for international humanitarian law,” and the “unconditional and permanent lifting on restrictions on the delivery of humanitarian aid and commercial goods to Yemen”.
However, France, like the UK, is a major seller of arms to Saudi Arabia, and various rights groups have accused France of doing little to stop the flow of lethal weapons to the Saudi military campaign.
