As the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Prince Mohammed bin Salman makes his first official visit to the UK since stepping up as leader of Saudi Arabia, children’s charity War Child UK warns against ‘hollow rhetoric’ and urges Theresa May to stop putting profit before people and address the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Yemen when she meets with him.
The controversial visit has drawn criticism from humanitarian organisations and activists, who are calling for Prime Minister Theresa May to ‘show some backbone’ and leadership on the Yemen conflict.
The conflict in Yemen nears three years and is considered the worst man-made humanitarian crisis of our time by the United Nations*.The United Kingdom carries a heavy responsibility to apply diplomatic pressure to Saudi Arabia to bring the suffering of more than 22 million people to an end.
Facing criticism on the upcoming visit, the Prime Minister has claimed that Britain will ‘stand up for our values’, while Boris Johnson has praised bin Salman’s modernising approach as ‘ushering in a new era in Britain’s relationship with Saudi Arabia.’ The UK government has consistently claimed that its close relationship with Saudi Arabia allows it to exert a positive influence on human rights – whether the Prime Minister makes some tough demands on the Crown Prince during his visit will show how far this claim is true.
Meanwhile, just across the border in Yemen the Saudi-led coalition has been blacklisted by the UN for committing grave violations against Yemeni civilians and children, and consistently breaking international humanitarian law.
Three quarters of the population – 22.2 million people – need humanitarian assistance, including more than 11 million who urgently require assistance to survive. Nearly two million of Yemen’s children are out of school and 1.8 million children under the age of five are acutely malnourished.
Rob Williams, CEO War Child UK said:
“The Prime Minister has declared she will stand up for British values, and at this crucial time I question what those values are.
Britain is complicit in the humanitarian crisis in Yemen through providing diplomatic support to Saudi Arabia, as well as selling our most high tech and deadly weapons to a coalition that the United Nations has verified as committing grave violations against children.
I urge Theresa May to now stand for values that Britain can be proud of, a nation that sets an example to the world, that is principled and compassionate and prioritises children’s lives over trade deals. When she meets with the Crown Prince, her priority must be to address the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Yemen – and prove that her claim of the UK’s influence on human rights in Saudi Arabia is more than just hollow rhetoric.
To continue to turn a blind-eye to the human suffering in Yemen sets the tone for a post-Brexit Britain that values profit before people and trade before treaties.”
Notes to editors:
* https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/mar/11/world-faces-worst-humanitarian-crisis-since1945-says-un-official
About War Child UK
War Child is striving for a world where children’s lives are no longer torn apart by war.
War Child UK is the charity for children affected by conflict across Africa, Asia and the Middle East. War Child has been registered in Yemen since December 2016. War Child will be providing cash assistance, livelihoods and education support to reach more than 15,000 people in 2018.
We protect, educate and stand up for the rights of children caught up in conflict. We aim to reach children as early as possible when conflict breaks out, and stay to support them through their recovery - helping to keep them safe, give them an education, and equip them with skills for the future.
We understand children’s needs, respect their rights, and put them at the centre of the solution - from supporting Syrian children to access education, to reintegrating child soldiers in the Central African Republic and promoting justice for young people in detention in Afghanistan. Together with our partners we work in 15 countries across Africa, Asia and the Middle East, and Latin America.
We also work with children and young people to change systems and practices that affect them – campaigning on the root causes of conflict and demanding that children are at the centre of humanitarian response.
Web: https://www.warchild.org.uk/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/warchilduk/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/WarChildUK
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Charity number: 1071659
