Yemen Monitor / Newsroom
The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Shayea Al-Zindani, held discussions today with the United Kingdom’s Ambassador to Yemen, Abda Sharif, on strengthening bilateral cooperation and British support to the Yemeni government in a way that contributes to enhancing security and stability in the country.
Al-Zindani expressed the Yemeni government’s appreciation for the UK’s role, particularly the recently announced Technical Assistance Facility for Yemen (TAFY), which was launched during the New York meeting. He noted that the mechanism represents an important step toward boosting the capacities of state institutions, as it provides annual funding of no less than £2.2 million for three years to support efforts in governance, institutional reform, and capacity building.
The meeting also addressed several issues of mutual concern, most notably the irregular migration from the Horn of Africa to Yemen via the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. Al-Zindani stressed the humanitarian and security challenges associated with this phenomenon and the importance of enhancing coordination with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and international partners to improve the response.
On the humanitarian front, the minister called for greater British contribution to the Humanitarian Response Plan and support for the government’s efforts to tackle economic challenges, alleviate citizens’ suffering, and counter the war economy fueled by the Houthi militias, in addition to backing anti-terrorism efforts.
For her part, Ambassador Sharif reaffirmed her country’s commitment to continuing support for Yemen and its legitimate government and working with regional and international partners to achieve a comprehensive and sustainable political solution to the Yemeni crisis.
