madam president i welcome today's debate in advance of next week's foreign affairs council and the london conference called by gordon brown
our attention may have been generated by the attempted airline bomber
today i also appeal for international attention to address efforts to free the british engineer anthony s and five other european hostages who worked at a local hospital in yemen and who remain kidnapped since last june
but our future work should recognise internal not just external needs in relation to yemen
to combat levels of malnutrition that exceed some sub-saharan african countries such as niger and violations of human rights as mrs <unk> has just said in a country which inflicts the eleventh highest number of executions in the world including children
so that as an international community we do not wait for the terrorists to move in before we begin to address issues of capacity governance and development in fragile states in our world
i welcome the high representative's announcement today on aid and ask her to ensure that next week's meetings address actual commitments of aid money to yemen from all participants at a time when the un's consolidated appeal for the country has generated less than one of the funds needed
like mrs brantner that the meetings pursue a ceasefire and perhaps a peace conference on the latest round of fighting with the houthis in the north and to ensure humanitarian access to the region
to ensure the country's oil revenue should be invested in economic and social development for the country's people
that europe should cooperate in finding lasting solutions for yemeni prisoners the largest contingent left in guantánamo bay
but i do hope the high representative will explore the potential for a joint eu-gulf cooperation council csdp project on security sector training in yemen in which our efforts are critically important in so many countries
finally the bin ladens may come from the village of al-rubat in yemen but it is the absence of international engagement which has allowed too many of the country's young people to be radicalised in his name
it is international engagement which now must take place
