Theresa May pledges to raise Yemen crisis on Middle East trip
1 min read
Theresa May has promised to raise the humanitarian crisis in Yemen when she meets Saudi leaders on short tour of the Middle East.
The Prime Minister will visit Saudi Arabia and Jordan on the three-day trip, which aims to further strengthen relations with two countries she has already visited this year.
Mrs May told reporters en route to the region that she would be bringing up the situation in Yemen, where Saudi-backed forces are battling the Houthi rebels.
Since the conflict began in 2015 the UK has licensed some £3.3bn of arms exports to Saudi Arabia, with campaigners repeatedly calling for sales to be suspended.
Former development secretary Andrew Mitchell recently accused the Government of being "dangerously complicit" in what amounts to the "collective punishment" of the Yemeni population.
UN humanitarian agencies have also urged the Saudi authorities to lift a blockade stopping medical supplies and food from entering the key port of Hodeidah.
"We are very concerned about the humanitarian situation in the Yemen," Mrs May said last night.
"The UK is the third biggest bilateral donor of humanitarian aid to the Yemen.
"We are very clear that we want to see full humanitarian and commercial access through the port of Hodeida - and that's obviously an issue I will be raising when I am in Saudi Arabia."
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