Yemeni Foreign Minister Discusses Houthi Escalation and Regional Security in Paris

Yemen Monitor / Newsroom: Yemeni Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Afrah Abdulaziz Al-Zouba met in Paris on Monday with Yaël Menache, Chair of the French-Yemeni Friendship Group in the National Assembly, alongside several group members, to examine the evolving situation in Yemen and the regional security ramifications of the Houthi movement’s military escalation. The meeting focused on Houthi attacks targeting civilians, civilian infrastructure, and public facilities in Yemen and neighboring states, as well as threats to international maritime navigation in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait, emphasizing their destabilizing effects on global energy markets and supply chains. Minister Al-Zouba provided an overview of Yemen’s humanitarian situation, drawing attention to the severe impact of the Houthi-enforced siege on the city of Taiz. She highlighted the ongoing plight of civilians—particularly women and children—amid the closure of health facilities and obstacles hindering the delivery of essential medicines and medical supplies. The Foreign Minister also outlined violations attributed by the Yemeni government to the Houthis, including child recruitment, indiscriminate landmine deployment, and the ongoing detention of UN personnel and humanitarian workers, who face physical and psychological abuses while in custody. Al-Zouba noted the recent death of UN staff member Mohammed Al-Shami after more than two years in captivity, marking the latest casualty among UN personnel detained by the group. She cautioned that the Houthi threat is no longer confined within Yemen’s borders but poses a direct challenge to international peace and security, citing attacks on maritime shipping lanes and growing coordination with armed groups in the Horn of Africa. Regarding bilateral relations, the two sides discussed avenues to deepen Yemeni-French cooperation, expand parliamentary dialogue, and revitalize the role of the National Assembly’s Friendship Group to advance shared interests and reinforce French support for Yemen. For her part, Menache affirmed the French Parliament’s keen interest in the Yemeni crisis and its broader implications for regional security and global stability. She noted that the Friendship Group intends to step up parliamentary consultations on Yemen to support the country’s security, stability, and that of the wider region. The post Yemeni Foreign Minister Discusses Houthi Escalation and Regional Security in Paris appeared first on Yemen Monitor.