UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron in Oman as Red Sea tensions escalate

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The ongoing Israel-Gaza crisis, and the consequent tensions in the Red Sea have led the UK to dispatch the country’s Foreign Secretary David Cameron to Oman for talks.

The UK’s Foreign Office said, “Foreign Secretary will be back in the Middle East this week focusing on the de-escalating of tensions in the region and securing an immediate pause in the conflict in Gaza.”

The statement added, “The Houthi attacks on international shipping, which are harming regional security and exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in Yemen, which will be a major focus of his discussions.”

Cameron was in Oman on Tuesday, January 30 for the first leg of the visit. He met with Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Al Busaidi to discuss de-escalating rising tensions across the region. His visit to Muscat follows regional travel last week where he met with leaders in Israel, the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Qatar and Turkey.

The UK and Oman are working together to promote regional stability in the Middle East and reduce tensions.

I met HE @badralbusaidi to discuss the need for an immediate humanitarian pause in Gaza to get much-needed aid in.

We continue to work with partners on a route to a…

— David Cameron (@David_Cameron) January 30, 2024

Cameron in talks with leaders of Middle East countries

The UK hopes the visit will create impetus to further dialogue between the US, UK, key EU, GCC countries and Turkey, to pause fighting in Gaza and to build momentum towards a lasting solution.

Foreign Secretary David Cameron said, “The Houthis continue to attack ships in the Red Sea, risking lives, delaying vital aid getting to the Yemeni people and disrupting global trade. And we cannot ignore the risk that the conflict in Gaza spreads, spilling over borders into other countries in the region.”

“We will do everything we can to make sure that does not happen – escalation and instability is in nobody’s interests.”

He added, “In Gaza, there is an urgent need for an immediate pause to allow aid in and hostages out. We are determined to do all we can to press for a sustainable ceasefire, and are stepping up our engagement with countries in the region to make sure that happens.”

Sanctions

The UK and the US on January 25 imposed co-ordinated sanctions on four key Houthi figures for their roles in supporting or directing attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea.

Attacks by the Houthis have disrupted global shipping and stoked fears of global inflation. They have also deepened concern that fallout from the Israel crisis could destabilise the Middle East.

Those sanctioned were Houthi Defence Minister Mohamed Nasser al-Atifi, Commander of Houthi Naval Forces Muhammad Fadl Abd Al-Nabi, coastal defence forces chief Muhammad Ali al-Qadiri and Muhammed Ahmad al-Talibi, who the two governments described as the Houthi forces’ director of procurement.

“With our allies, we will continue to target those responsible for the Houthis’ unacceptable and illegal actions, which risk innocent seafarers’ lives and disrupt aid deliveries to the Yemeni people,” British Foreign Secretary David Cameron, who is on a visit to the Middle East, said in a statement.

The sanctions aim to disrupt their ability to carry out attacks on Red Sea shipping and promote the peace, stability and security of Yemen, the UK said.

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