United Nations envoy to Yemen Hans Grundberg expressed on Monday his concern over the movement of the Iran-backed Houthi militias on the ground.
In a briefing to the UN Security Council, he said: “Although fighting has decreased markedly since the start of the truce, the frontlines are not silent. Armed clashes have taken place in Dhale, Taiz, Hodeidah, Marib, and Shabwa. I am also concerned by reports of troop movements, including near Marib, and recent parade of fighters in Ibb.”
“These continued sparks of violence, alongside public threats to return to large-scale fighting, increase fears and tensions. I call on the parties to stop provocative military actions and rhetoric that raise the specter of further escalation,” he urged.
He remarked however, that “despite the expiry of the truce, Yemen and its people continue to feel the benefits from the longest period of relative calm since the beginning of the conflict.”
“According to the latest United Nations report on children and armed conflict, the truce contributed to a 40 percent decrease in grave violations against children, such as killing, maiming, and recruitment to armed formations. That is a meaningful achievement, but more progress is needed,” Grundberg said.
“This period of relative calm has opened the door for serious discussions with Yemeni actors on the way forward toward ending the conflict. Discussions are ongoing, but – if we are to sustainably end the war – these talks have to reach a serious breakthrough,” the envoy stressed.
Moreover, the envoy briefed the Security Council on the economic situation in the war-torn country.
“The parties continue to battle on a different front – the economy... As always, it is Yemeni citizens who pay the highest price for the economic divisions and deterioration in the country,” he lamented.
“Freedom of movement also remains a huge challenge. Conflict-related road closures force thousands of Yemenis every day to take unsafe routes,” he went on to say.
“The parties need to immediately de-escalate economically and address near- and longer-term economic priorities,” Grundberg urged. “They need to ensure regular public sector salary payments nationwide They also need to reverse antagonistic economic policies, which deepen the divide between them and further fragment the country.”
“For women and girls, the restrictions on the freedom of movement have become even more pronounced over the course of the conflict. Such restrictions prevent women from accessing their basic needs, from engaging in economic opportunities, and from participating in politics and peace-making efforts,” he warned.
“The parties need to make progress on agreeing to a clear path to restarting an intra-Yemeni political process under the United Nations auspices. This process needs to start urgently in order to consolidate the gains made since the truce and prevent further fragmentation,” said the envoy.
“Only Yemenis can debate and decide on such weighty and fundamental questions of sovereignty, national and local governance, revenue management and security arrangements. The United Nations-mediated process will be led and owned by Yemenis, and will involve and reflect the priorities of a plurality of Yemenis, including women and men from across Yemen’s governorates,” he added.
The Security Council also unanimously extended until July 14, 2024, the mandate of the United Nations Mission to Support the Hodeidah Agreement (UNMHA), established in January 2019 following intra-Yemeni peace consultations held in Stockholm, Sweden.
Int’l support
Yemen’s permanent representative to the UN Abdullah al-Saadi urged the Security Council to support the Presidential Leadership Council and his government’s efforts to stop the Houthis’ economic war and arbitrary action against banks and the private sector, as well as the restrictions on movement of goods and humanitarian aid.
Underscoring the importance of collective action to compel the Houthi militias to end the conflict, he regretted that Yemen is missing a true partner in achieving peace.
He commended Saudi Arabia’s support of the Presidential Leadership Council and his government in alleviating humanitarian suffering, while noting that his government has demonstrated flexibility and made unilateral concessions to renew the truce.
“The militias are not observing the truce,” he stated, pointing to their continuous economic war. The rejection of peace undermines peaceful settlement, he stressed, calling on the Council to bring pressure on the Houthis to stop using the economy for political gains.
“This is testament to our commitment to ending the suffering of our people,” he stressed, while pointing out that the militias have not fulfilled their commitment or made necessary concessions. Instead, they continue to reject peace efforts and impose restrictions on rights and freedoms.
“The Yemeni people cannot endure any more humanitarian suffering,” he stated, adding that militias are destroying the country’s resources and its social fabric.
