Media Contact: Erin Taylor 267.250.8829 (M)
In response to Secretary Mattis and Secretary Pompeo’s comments on the need for a ceasefire in Yemen, Carolyn Miles, Save the Children President & CEO said:
“Save the Children welcomes Secretary of Defense Mattis and Secretary of State Pompeo’s calls for a cessation of hostilities from all parties to the war in Yemen, and a return to the peace table in the next 30 days. This brutal conflict continues to claim the lives of more than 100 children per day – not just from conflict but also from disease and extreme food insecurity, which have been exacerbated by the ongoing violence. We thus also urge the Administration to continue making every effort to help improve humanitarian access for aid organizations providing lifesaving services on the ground, particularly in light of the UN’s warning of an imminent threat of famine facing millions of people.
“For more than three years, Save the Children has insisted that only a political solution will help bring an end to the daily suffering of Yemeni children. In addition to an immediate cessation of hostilities, we strongly urge the warring parties to respect their obligations under international humanitarian law to immediately allow unconditional access for humanitarian aid and commercial imports through all of Yemen’s sea and air ports to prevent further needless loss of life.”