International Red Cross Calls on the West and Regional Powers to Resolve the Yemen Crisis

The International Committee of the Red Cross stated on Wednesday, July 25, that the West and regional powers must use their influence over the warring parties in Yemen to end the crisis that has led to a cholera outbreak and devastated the country. The Saudi-led coalition forces are fighting against the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, who control a large portion of Yemen, resulting in over 10,000 deaths and more than three million displaced people. According to Reuters, Peter Maurer, the president of the International Committee of the Red Cross, during his five-day visit to Yemen, said at a press conference in Sana'a: 'We certainly hope that Western countries understand the depth of this crisis and the dangers it poses to international stability and stability in the region.' Mr. Maurer, who also visited Taiz and Aden, added: 'I have come here to urge the international community to increase its actions in response to this crisis, and it is clear that this crisis is the result of human actions. The main reason is the continuation of the war and the destruction of services in the country.' He called for a solution to pay workers' salaries and requested that essential goods, including more medicine, be allowed to enter the ports of Hodeidah and Sana'a, which are controlled by the Houthi rebels, to alleviate the suffering of the people. The head of the Red Cross committee added that medical and healthcare services in Yemen have been severely damaged, salaries have not been paid for over 10 months, garbage is piled up in public places, and hospitals, water supply facilities, and other service infrastructures have been attacked and destroyed. According to Mr. Maurer, cholera, which first spread in April, is on the rise, with about 400,000 people infected, and although there are signs of a slowdown in its spread, the outbreak could expand at any moment. He stated: 'The rate of new cholera cases has somewhat decreased, but this does not mean that the number of infections has decreased. The problem is that, according to most experts' predictions, with the onset of the rainy season, the speed and scope of cholera will increase.' Mr. Maurer said that Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and their coalition, as well as Yemeni actors, all play a key role in finding a solution to this crisis. He added: 'In addition, I hope that countries outside the region will also use their influence to impact their allies and encourage them to reach an agreement and find a solution to this crisis.' Mr. Maurer expressed hope that the deadlock regarding the visit of Red Cross inspectors to prisoners and detainees from both sides, including those held by the coalition, would soon be resolved. He called for conditions to be established so that all parties involved could negotiate on prisoner exchanges and the release of detainees.