Speaker of Parliament Sheikh Sultan Al-Barakani closely followed, via phone, the visit of the European Union Ambassador to Yemen, Patrick Simonnet, to Taiz Governorate throughout its duration, which concluded today, Thursday.
During these calls, he expressed his appreciation for the ambassador’s field visit, accompanied by his team of advisers and specialists. The visit covered the city of Taiz, as well as Jabal Habashi and Al-Ma’afer districts, where the delegation reviewed projects implemented by the European Union, visited camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs), and examined historical and archaeological sites, in addition to assessing urgent and essential needs and evaluating the overall humanitarian and development situation.
During the visit to Al-Ma’afer district, the ambassador met with District Director Ahmed Haza’a Othman, Executive Director for IDPs Bassam Al-Haddad, and District Police Director Fares Al-Zubaidi. He received briefings on the district’s urgent needs, the situation of displaced persons, and overall conditions in the area, including its humanitarian and development requirements. The district director outlined the major challenges resulting from hosting more than 9,600 displaced families, placing increasing pressure on basic services, particularly in water, education, and health. He noted that Al-Nashma General Hospital receives approximately 200,000 cases annually from across various districts.
The ambassador and his delegation also reviewed development needs amid the rising number of displaced persons.
In his communication, the Speaker of Parliament stressed the importance of the visit in strengthening the presence of international partners and gaining firsthand insight into the humanitarian and development challenges facing Taiz Governorate. He commended the European Union’s efforts to support stability and improve living conditions.
He also praised the EU’s humanitarian and development interventions, particularly in supporting displaced persons and strengthening the water, health, and education sectors, emphasizing the importance of sustaining such support amid the country’s escalating challenges.
The EU delegation conducted field visits that included the Technical Institute in Al-Khayami, as well as the “Jabal Zaid” camp in Al-Bayreen and the “Al-Muneij” camp for displaced persons. They reviewed the implementation of EU-funded small-scale projects and listened to citizens’ needs, particularly regarding livelihoods and community stabilization.
Earlier, on Tuesday, the delegation visited Jabal Habashi district, where they reviewed EU-funded projects and assessed humanitarian and development needs.
The ambassador also received a briefing from District Director Yahya Ismail on key challenges, including the severe damage caused by recent flash floods, which resulted in significant destruction to infrastructure and both public and private property.
Through these communications, the Speaker of Parliament expressed his appreciation for the visit and the ambassador’s commitment to closely examining conditions in the districts of Yemen’s most populous governorate.
For his part, the ambassador affirmed that the visit aimed to assess conditions on the ground, evaluate progress in project implementation, and measure their impact on improving livelihoods and strengthening basic services for local communities, as well as to explore areas of future support to help meet humanitarian and development needs.
The ambassador also expressed his great satisfaction with the visit and his direct observation of the economic, security, service, and humanitarian conditions in Taiz Governorate. He noted the warm reception extended to him and his delegation, expressing particular thanks for the Speaker’s follow-up throughout the visit, and commending the level of security and stability in Taiz.
The ambassador was accompanied by Deputy Ambassador Louis Bueno, Peace and Security Officer Wael Abdulshafi, EU Programmes Manager Shahra Naqshabandi, and the ambassador’s interpreter and special assistant, Osama Al-Sagheer.