The UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Dr. Anwar Gargash, has expressed his categorical rejection of a report by the Group of Eminent International and Regional Experts on Yemen.
He urged the Human Rights Council (HRC) to instead refocus on providing support to the Yemeni government to be able to establish institutions aimed at protecting human rights in the country.
“The Group’s mistakes, misjudgments, and methodology are too numerous and serious to be ignored,” Gargash explained in a letter addressed to UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet.
For this reason, he said, the UAE along with many other HRC members have decided last year not to support renewing the Group’s mandate.
Attached to the letter was a detailed assessment of the Group of Experts’ report published in 2018, according to WAM.
This assessment took several months to be prepared and was based on a thorough study of the report and its methodology in addition to relevant principles of international law.
It found that the Group has surpassed its mandate in several means while failing to fulfill important aspects.
It failed to convey an accurate image of the conflict in Yemen and didn’t apply it to its monitoring and reporting functions, and its methodological approach was flawed.
The Group also misinterpreted and misapplied international law and presented incorrect claims against the UAE.
Gargash said his country believes that asking the Group to prepare another report won’t achieve its shared objective to boost protection and promotion of human rights for Yemenis.
“The UAE firmly believes the people of Yemen would be better served if the HRC refocuses on providing support, capacity building and technical assistance of which the Yemeni government has consistently requested.”
“This would serve as an important step in rebuilding institutions that will be essential in laying the foundation for a more hopeful future for all Yemenis,” Gargash noted.
He reiterated the UAE’s support for Bachelet’s mandate and her role in consistently working with member states and other relevant parties to address human rights challenges around the world, including in Yemen.
The conflict in Yemen and the humanitarian suffering in many parts of the country is due to the illegal and violent coup by Houthi militias against the legitimate government in 2014, he explained.
Gargash added that the UAE’s actions, as part of the Saudi-led coalition, are undertaken at the request of the legitimate government and in full accordance with international law.
