Britain has vowed to support Yemen's government against the Houthis after the first visit to the country by a UK minister in six years.
Minister for the Middle East Hamish Falconer reaffirmed the UK's backing for the official government’s efforts to counter extremists attacks on shipping, saying it was “critical to strengthen maritime security”, during his one-day visit to Aden on Wednesday.
Britain donated $4 million to the Yemen Coast Guard during a conference in Riyadh in September for new boats to tackle weapons smuggling and defend against piracy.
During a trip to a coastguard outpost, Mr Falconer was told how the vessels will give greater protection to international shipping lanes and help ensure freedom of navigation in the Gulf of Aden and Red Sea.
“Our partnership with Yemen is critical to strengthen maritime security and to send a message to the Houthis: you’re threatening the region and harming your countrymen,” Mr Falconer said.
The maritime outpost is on the front line of policing crime and piracy in the Gulf of Aden. It is equipped with new and refurbished interceptor and patrol vessels, funded by the UK.
Mr Falconer said the visit had demonstrated how UK support is helping to curb weapons smuggling and “protect our shipping route from Houthi destabilisation”.
He also met aid organisations that he said were helping to tackle “the dire humanitarian situation” that has been worsened by the Houthis' actions.
The UN estimates that more than 227,000 Yemenis have died in the decade-long conflict, many from starvation and most of those children.
Mr Falconer visited the Ash Shab refugee camp and the Dar Saad health clinic in Aden, where he saw how UK aid is helping to tackle malnutrition, deliver vaccinations and provide assistance to the most vulnerable families.
“The humanitarian situation remains dire,” he said. “Only by working closely with Yemen, and international partners, can we make a tangible difference to Yemenis, and support stability in the wider region.”
The minister also met President Rashad Al Alimi and Prime Minister Salem Saleh Bin Braik, and reaffirmed Britain’s “unwavering support” for the government of Yemen’s stability and programme of reforms.
“The Houthis have threatened global shipping, kidnapped aid workers and deepened starvation,” he said after the meeting.
“But there is another side to Yemen – friendly people with a deep culture and long-standing connections to the UK.”
The last minister to visit Yemen was Jeremy Hunt, as foreign minister, in March 2019. He also visited Aden and warned about impending starvation.
