WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Near East, South Asia, Central Asia and Counterterrorism, will travel to Oman, Qatar and Jordan, joining senior members of the Biden Administration, including Yemen Special Envoy Tim Lenderking, during parts of the trip. Murphy will meet with foreign leaders and senior officials including King Abdullah II, Omani Foreign Minister Al-Busaidi, Qatari Foreign Minister Al-Thani, United Nations Special Envoy to Yemen Martin Griffiths and several European ambassadors to Yemen to discuss the humanitarian crisis and urgent need to find a political solution to end the war in Yemen. He will also discuss the reform agenda in the Middle East, prospects for preserving the two-state solution between Israelis and Palestinians, instability in Syria and the refugee crisis, and the need to restart the Iran nuclear deal.

“The Biden administration has taken the right steps to start bringing the war in Yemen to an end, and we must keep pressing full speed ahead.  As the humanitarian crisis worsens each day, we need to keep up the pressure on countries to fulfill the global appeal for humanitarian relief and work to find a political solution, even as the Houthis are continuing to threaten the vulnerable population of Marib,” said Murphy. “I’m traveling to the Middle East to make this case to several key international players based in the region. I’ll also be holding meetings with King Abdullah II and other key government officials to discuss regional security concerns like preservation of the two-state solution for Israelis and the Palestinians, Syria and the ensuing refugee crisis, the need for political reform, and the urgent need to return to the Iran nuclear deal.”

On Thursday, Murphy discussed the urgent need for humanitarian funding in Yemen with United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Mark Lowcock. Murphy has been vocal about the need for the United States and other donors to step up and provide funding to the United Nations’ $3.85 billion appeal to address the humanitarian crisis in Yemen. As of Thursday, donors’ pledges have fallen $2.5 billion short of what is needed in Yemen as the country faces the threat of widespread famine. Murphy joined the Mehdi Hassan Show this week to discuss the need for donors to fulfill their pledges and help address the humanitarian crisis in Yemen.

Last week, Murphy chaired a subcommittee hearing on U.S. policy on Yemen that included U.S. Department of State Special Envoy for Yemen Tim Lenderking, United States Institute of Peace President and Chief Executive Officer Lise Grande, and International Rescue Committee’s Senior Director for International Programs, Policy and Advocacy Amanda Catanzano. Murphy focused on the next steps for reaching a nationwide ceasefire in Yemen, removing obstacles to and providing funding for humanitarian aid, getting Yemen’s economy back up and running, and looking ahead to a framework for inclusive political negotiations to end the war.

 

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