Macron plans conference on Yemen humanitarian crisis by summer

PARIS, April 10 (Xinhua) -- Expressing concerns over humanitarian situation in Yemen, French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday said he would host a conference on the issue in the coming months.

"We have agreed to hold a humanitarian conference on Yemen jointly this summer to clarify what is being done and what needs to be done and that will enable new humanitarian initiatives for civilians," Macron said alongside Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud.

"We are committed to the respect of international humanitarian law ... We continue to be extremely vigilant on this point and hope that more work would be done ... with regard to civilian populations in Yemen and that all clarity would be made on the NGOs concerns," he added.

More than 10,000 people, half of them civilians, have been killed with over two millions displaced in the three-year war.

A widespread hunger and an unprecedented cholera epidemic have led aid agencies to describe Yemen as one of the world's worst humanitarian disasters.

"France's position is clear: full support for the security of Saudi Arabia, condemnation of the ballistic activity coming from the Houthis, willingness to find a political solution to the conflict and strong humanitarian demands on civilian populations," he said.

The visiting prince noted that Saudi Arabia was working with its partners to "modernize its rules of engagement to avoid civilian casualties."

"In any military operation, throughout history, whatever the country, there were mistakes," he added. Enditem