British Prime Minister's Dialogue with the King of Saudi Arabia in Riyadh

Theresa May, the British Prime Minister, arrived in Riyadh on Wednesday, December 8, and met with King Salman of Saudi Arabia and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. According to the Associated Press, the purpose of May's visit to Riyadh is to discuss the war in Yemen with the king and crown prince. The news agency adds that May is expected to request that Mohammed bin Salman allow the use of the port of Hodeidah for sending humanitarian aid to the people of Yemen. Hodeidah, which is controlled by Iranian-backed Houthis, is one of the besieged ports that has been the main channel for UN aid to Yemen. According to the report, a ship carrying UN aid docked at Hodeidah on Tuesday. On Tuesday, May stated: 'We are very clear that we want humanitarian aid and commercial shipments to have full access to the port of Hodeidah. This is something I will raise during my visit to Saudi Arabia.' Following a missile fired by Houthi militants at Riyadh, Saudi Arabia issued an order on November 4 (13 Aban) to close the communication routes of Yemen's airports and ports. However, under international pressure, Saudi officials have promised to allow the reopening of Yemen's ports for humanitarian aid delivery. The Saudi state news agency reports that the British Prime Minister met with King Salman, the Crown Prince, and other officials on Wednesday evening to discuss regional issues. The news agency did not provide further details on these negotiations. Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, the President of Yemen, was forced to leave the capital after Houthi militants, along with forces loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, seized Sanaa. The Arab coalition led by Saudi Arabia has been conducting operations against the Shiite Houthi militants since 2015. The war in Yemen has put the country at risk of famine. According to the UN, this war has resulted in at least 10,000 deaths and displaced three million people. The Associated Press reports that Theresa May's government is under significant pressure to cancel a weapons sale contract worth over six billion dollars to Saudi Arabia. Opponents of this contract argue that these weapons are being used in the Yemen war. Emmanuel Macron, the President of France, also recently visited Saudi Arabia and met with the king and especially Mohammed bin Salman. Before her trip to Saudi Arabia, May visited Baghdad on Wednesday and also spoke with officials there. In this context, the British Prime Minister's trip to Saudi Arabia and Jordan is 'to express support and strengthen relations.' The UN reports that 11 million Yemeni children need urgent assistance. Saudi Arabia has granted permission for UN planes to land in the Yemeni capital. The World Food Program expressed concern about increased mortality in Yemen. UNICEF stated that the situation of millions of children in dozens of countries is worse than 20 years ago. Three UN agencies requested the regional coalition to end the siege of Yemen.