Head of the European Union Mission: There is no military solution to the conflicts in Yemen.

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In his first interview, since his appointment as, Head of the European Union Mission to Yemen, Ambassador Patrick Simonnet called for renewed momentum for political efforts and warned against military escalation

In this exclusive interview with Al Mushahid, he said, “calls for a comprehensive war will not only be catastrophic for the Yemeni people, but will also have negative repercussions that will extend to the entire region

”Ambassador Simonet described the European Union’s role in addressing the Houthi escalation in the Red Sea as “purely defensive

” It goes beyond providing protection to commercial vessels transiting the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, to assistance in responding to crises at sea

Ambassador Simonet spoke about the European Union’s political, development, and humanitarian engagement in support of Yemen

He said, “We have allocated €251 million for the period from 2015 to 2027 to support these priorities, particularly humanitarian aid to alleviate the suffering of the Yemeni people

”The Head of the European Union Delegation to Yemen also discussed the EU’s current and future priorities for Yemen, his expectations regarding the possibility of a political settlement to the Yemeni crisis, and his meeting with the Prime Minister and members of his internationally recognized government

He also discussed the EU’s role in supporting the efforts of local partners, such as youth and women, in peacebuilding

Interviewed by- Waheeb Al-NossariAl-Mushahid: What is the nature of the efforts carried out by the EU Delegation to Yemen across political, development, humanitarian, and other areas? What are your current and future priorities?Simonnet: The EU is a long-standing partner of Yemen and has been actively engaged across the political, development, and humanitarian fields to support Yemen and its people

Since 2015, the EU has provided nearly €2 billion in total support to Yemen, demonstrating its deep and sustained commitment to Yemenis

Second, we are increasing our support to the internationally recognised government in Aden

In my meetings with President Rashad Al Alimi, with Prime Minister Salem Saleh Bin Breik, with Foreign Minister Shaya Al Zindani, and with other interlocutors, I have reiterated the EU’s determination to help the Presidential Leadership Council and the Government of Yemen strengthen internal unity and undertake key reforms

On the political level, we have two main priorities: First, we call for a renewed momentum in the peace efforts in Yemen

We firmly believe there is no military solution to the conflict

A return to an all-out war would not only be disastrous for the Yemeni people but would also have negative spill-over effects on the wider region

Lasting peace can only come through dialogue and compromise

We know this well in Europe, where old enemies managed to reconcile for the sake of their peoples

We will therefore continue supporting the UN Special Envoy and his team, as well as regional and international partners, in their peace efforts aimed at reaching an inclusive political settlement that puts an end to this conflict

The EU is willing to increase its direct engagement in facilitating the different parties’ return to dialogue to reach this goal

Second, we are increasing our support to the internationally recognised government in Aden

Our development assistance is intended to support economic development, including through a partnership with the private sector, as well as job creation; foster the resilience of Yemeni communities and improve livelihoods in critical sector such as food security, agriculture, electricity and water services

We are dedicating €251 million from 2025 to 2027 to cover these priorities

Our aim is to assist the authorities in the delivery of basic services to the Yemeni people

We are ready to offer support to fight corruption, enhance accountability, and improve revenues’ collection, and advance in the reunification of the banking system

Through our interventions, we also place strong emphasis on good governance, youth initiatives, human rights, and the empowerment of Yemeni civil society

Humanitarian support remains a cornerstone of our work in Yemen

The EU is among Yemen’s top donors

We just released an additional €40 million last month, which brings total EU humanitarian support for Yemen to €120 million in 2025, and to almost €1 billion since 2015

EU funding will provide urgent food, nutrition and health assistance, prioritising districts at highest risk of famine

We just concluded a humanitarian air bridge to Yemen, through which we delivered over 432 tonnes of medicines and life-saving supplies

Thanks to close cooperation with 11 humanitarian partners, this aid reached families across the country

The EU is the largest donor to the Yemen Humanitarian Response Plan and remains a key partner in the UN-led efforts to uphold international humanitarian law and regional stability

Al-Mushahid: Yemen is no longer just a local file (issue); it has become part of regional equations involving the Red Sea and energy

How will the EU deal with these interwoven dynamics? Would the EU’s role remain only humanitarian, or will it become an active political player?Simonnet: The EU’s engagement in Yemen has always been multifaceted, encompassing political, development, and humanitarian dimensions

We have been an active political player, including on a regional level, in trying to support peace efforts towards a political solution to the conflict

We have also been very active in demonstrating our political support to the Government of Yemen

I visited Aden only three days after taking up my job, and I intend to be there frequently to engage with our Yemeni interlocutors with the aim of reinforcing our bilateral relationship

It is unfortunate that the Yemeni conflict has become linked to dynamics in the Red Sea

The EU has repeatedly condemned Houthi attacks on commercial vessels and has called for the respect of international law, including UN Security Council Resolution 2722 (2024), stressing the need to protect freedom of navigation

The escalation in the Red Sea has in fact complicated peace efforts, shifting the focus away from the need to solve the Yemeni conflict to regional considerations

The future of Yemen and the well-being of Yemenis should not be conditioned upon the resolution of other conflicts elsewhere in the region

Al-Mushahid: On February 19, 2024, the European Union launched a military operation led by Italy to protect commercial ships from attacks by Houthis

Would this coalition succeed in stopping these attacks? Is it possible to reach an agreement with the Houthis regarding the attacks on ships, given that some of these vessels belong to EU member states? How do you see this matter?Simonnet The EU is committed to the freedom of navigation and the safety of commercial vessels in the Red Sea

We launched in February 2024 our operation EUNAVFOR ASPIDES

The mandate of this operation, which is only a defensive one, is to provide protection to commercial ships transiting the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, but also to assist in responding to crises at sea

As such, ASPIDES has escorted more than 1200 vessels, but has also participated in salvage operations and rescue missions

We will continue working closely with partners in line with UNSC Resolution 2722

Al-Mushahid: What are your views on the European role in attempting to achieve a political settlement to the Yemeni crisis?Simonnet: The EU has invested greatly in supporting UN-led peace efforts

In this context, we have mobilised our crisis response tools to fund track II activities, pushing for local stabilisation initiatives, political dialogue among Yemeni parties, economic de-escalation, as well as other confidence-building measures

We are sparing no effort in this regard

After more than ten years of conflict, Yemenis deserve peace, a better life and a better future

We will continue playing an active role across the board in supporting peace efforts, including through our engagement with regional actors

Al-Mushaid: You have recently met with PM Salem bin Buraik

What is your view on dealing with the government, and what is the EU’s vision for supporting the government’s efforts toward economic recovery?Simonnet: We have had excellent exchanges with Prime Minister Salem bin Breik and his government

We are supporting the Prime Minister’s efforts to advance reforms and strengthen good governance, including through capacity building initiatives

We have seen positive results in terms of stabilising the Yemeni rial and increasing the oversight of the banking sector

We are also involved in the resumption of Article IV discussions between the Government and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to relaunch international financial assistance for Yemen

I believe this is very good news, and we are determined to continue helping the Government, including the Central Bank of Yemen, along this path

Al-Mushahid: How can the EU support local partners such as the youth and women in the peacebuilding process? What role does the EU play in supporting “Track II” efforts by civil society, including youth, women, and local initiatives’ actors?Simonnet: The EU has been supporting peace efforts by taking on board the effort to coordinate track II activities, in addition to funding several initiatives in this field

I am impressed by the work of our Yemeni partners, who have been very active in the political, economic and security fields

For example, the EU has been working through track II projects to remove trade and transport restrictions, unifying macroeconomic and fiscal policy, restoring public services, promoting local governance and community safety, negotiating local ceasefires, supporting reconciliation and transitional justice, and fostering political dialogue among Yemeni parties

Youth and women have been a key component of these efforts, and I have had already the honour of meeting with brilliant young representatives as well as formidable women activists

In fact, we would like to see women in positions of responsibility

Their contribution to peace-building is essential

Al-Mushahid: There has been a decline of funding — both from the EU and its member states

For example, Sweden has halted its support, and other countries began reducing their humanitarian and development aid to Yemen

What is the reason for this? Can we expect reconsidering this approach? Will this affect the level of support directed to conflict-affected countries such as Yemen?Simonnet: There has been a global reduction of aid assistance, and I think Yemen is no exception

However, the EU remains a reliable and consistent partner

As explained above, we have maintained a high level of commitment to Yemen in terms of crisis response, development and humanitarian aid to Yemen

That said, the EU is extremely concerned about the deterioration of the operating environment in Houthi areas, where humanitarian needs are massive

We have strongly condemned the continued arbitrary detentions of UN personnel and of its partners, as well as the unlawful seizure of UN premises in violation of privileges and immunities

These actions are hindering the UN’s ability to operate in these areas and deliver critical assistance

I would like to echo the call of the UN Secretary General for the immediate and unconditional release of all personnel from the UN, non-governmental organisations, civil society and diplomatic missions

Al-Mushahid: Do you expect Yemen to reach a peace agreement soon? How do you assess the performance of the UN Special Envoy to Yemen, Mr

Hans Grundberg, after four years in office, especially in light of the continued Houthi escalation in the Red Sea?Simonnet: I believe the UN Envoy has been working tirelessly towards a resumption of political negotiations, but it is true that he has been doing so in a context marked by regional escalation

The Envoy was close to a breakthrough in 2023, when he announced commitments of the parties to a roadmap

However, Houthis chose at that point in time to begin a military campaign in the Red Sea and against Israel, instead of pursuing negotiations on the UN roadmap

They made that choice, which linked any prospect of advancing towards a resolution contingent upon the evolution of the Gaza war

They escalated their attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea

Honestly, I fail to see how this decision benefited the Yemenis, who continue to pay the ultimate price of the crisis

That said, the EU is determined to continue its support to the UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg and his efforts to achieve a peaceful resolution to the conflict

We are doing this in consultation with Saudi Arabia, which remains in my view a fundamental player in finding a sustainable solution to the crisis, as well as with other key regional actors like Oman and the UAE

Al-Mushahid: Finally, we thank the EU Ambassador, Mr

Patrick Simonnet, for replying to our questions

Would you like to add anything to conclude?Simonnet: I would like to thank Al-Mushahid website for this opportunity

This is indeed my first interview with a Yemeni media outlet

I truly look forward to engaging with Yemenis from all walks of life, listening to their aspirations, and working together with all partners for a better future for all Yemenis

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