Yemeni-British Forum for Peace and Democracy (YBFPD) Hosts In-Depth Political and Economic Discussion on Yemen Inside the UK Parliament

London (15-12-2025):
The British–Yemeni Forum for Democracy and Peace, in partnership with the Yemen All-Party Parliamentary Group (Yemen APPG), convened a high-level parliamentary roundtable inside the House of Commons in London, bringing together Yemeni Members of Parliament and their British counterparts, alongside prominent British-Yemeni figures and stakeholders engaged in Yemeni affairs.

The meeting was chaired by Tahir Ali MP, Labour MP for Birmingham Hall Green and Moseley and the chair of the Yemen APPG, and co-chaired by Alex Ballinger, the Labour MP for Halesowen, the management committee member of YBFPD and the chair of Labour Friends of Yemen (LFY).

The Yemeni delegation included Mr. Abdulrazzaq Al-Hajri MP, the Advisor to the President of the Republic of Yemen, Ali Ashal MP, and Ali Al-Maamari MP. The session drew a large and engaged audience, including representatives from organisations interested in Yemeni affairs, such as Health Professionals for Yemen (HPY-UK), Labour Friends of Yemen (LFY), the British Yemeni Society, as well as members of the Yemeni community from across the UK.
The discussion went beyond formal protocol, taking the form of an in-depth and candid exchange. The Yemeni parliamentary delegation presented a comprehensive overview of the situation in Yemen, addressing its political, humanitarian, economic, social, and security dimensions. They emphasised that Yemen’s crisis is no longer solely a security challenge, but a complex political–economic crisis that requires a holistic approach aimed at restoring state institutions, strengthening governance, and reactivating national resources.

The discussion highlighted the severe economic consequences of the suspension of oil exports, framing it as a fundamentally political issue rather than merely an economic one. This disruption has paralysed state revenues, delayed salary payments, and deepened the humanitarian and livelihood crisis, with ordinary Yemenis bearing the cost of a conflict over which they have little control.

Participants also addressed the complexities of Yemen’s political landscape, including the role of the Southern Transitional Council, as well as the growing risks associated with Houthi policies in the Red Sea. These developments were noted for their contribution to the internationalisation of maritime routes, Yemen’s increasing isolation, and the transformation of the country into an open arena of regional and international tension, with direct implications for regional and global security.

UK Members of Parliament expressed strong interest in the perspectives shared during the meeting, underlining the importance of engaging directly with Yemeni parliamentary voices and gaining a deeper understanding of the structural roots of the crisis, beyond fragmented responses or narrowly focused security-based approaches.

This meeting forms part of the British–Yemeni Forum for Democracy and Peace’s ongoing efforts, in cooperation with the Yemen APPG, to strengthen parliamentary diplomacy, build sustained channels of engagement within UK legislative institutions, and shift the discussion on Yemen from crisis management towards addressing its underlying causes — in support of stability, democratic governance, and the aspirations of the Yemeni people for an effective state and a just, lasting peace.