Grundberg Calls for Unification of Yemeni Currency, Release of UN Personnel

Houthi leader says his group was able to mobilize over 400,000 people for military training programs (Reuters)
Houthi leader says his group was able to mobilize over 400,000 people for military training programs (Reuters)
TT
20

Grundberg Calls for Unification of Yemeni Currency, Release of UN Personnel

Houthi leader says his group was able to mobilize over 400,000 people for military training programs (Reuters)
Houthi leader says his group was able to mobilize over 400,000 people for military training programs (Reuters)

The UN's special envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, stressed Thursday the importance of unifying the Yemeni currency and ending the Central Bank split, also referring to Saudi Arabia’s role in halting a dangerous cycle of economic escalation between the Yemeni government and the Houthis.

Grundberg’s address to the Security Council came while several countries denounced the Houthis for seizing the offices of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Sanaa this week. They demanded the release of all abducted Yemenis who work for foreign organizations, including UN agencies.

In his briefing to the Security Council, Grundberg said, “Last month, with the support of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the parties were able to halt a dangerous cycle of escalation that was negatively impacting Yemen’s banking and transport sectors and threatened to ignite renewed military conflict.”

He then referred to the regional escalation, which is taking place in parallel to real and urgent challenges inside Yemen that need to be addressed.

“Addressing the decade-long conflict in Yemen continues to be at the center of my work,” the envoy said.

Grundberg also spoke about the Houthi concerted campaign against Yemeni employees of the UN, civil society, national and international NGOs.

He called on Houthis "to act responsibly and compassionately" towards Yemenis and "immediately and unconditionally release all UN, NGO, civil society, diplomatic mission and private sector employees as well as members of religious minorities, and refrain from further arbitrary detentions."

The envoy added, “In four days, on the 19th of August, we will commemorate World Humanitarian Day. Yet, in Yemen, we are facing a clampdown by Houthis on the humanitarian and civic space.”

Also, Grundberg underscored the importance of working toward the unification of the currency, a unified central bank, and ensuring the banking sector is free from political interference.

“My office has prepared options and offered a clear proposal and pathway to achieve these objectives, all of which have been based on the input of the parties themselves,” he said.

Western Condemnations

Meanwhile, several countries continued to denounce the Houthi seizure of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) headquarters in Sanaa.

In a message posted on social media platform X on Thursday, the UK minister for the Middle East and North Africa, Hamish Falconer, called on the Houthis to halt the harassment of workers from the UN and other organizations, and for the release of all abducted employees.
“We call on the Houthis to allow the UN and all NGOs to continue their critical work for the Yemeni people and to release all detained staff immediately,” he said.

On Wednesday, US State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel condemned the Houthis for the takeover of the UN office.
“The storming and takeover of the OHCHR headquarters in Sanaa by Houthi militants violates international norms. It further demonstrates that the Houthis have no respect for the most basic international practices,” he said in a statement.

“This is just one more step in an aggressive series of Houthi actions including detentions of UN, international organization, and diplomatic personnel working to help the Yemeni people,” he said. “These actions will further obstruct the delivery of humanitarian assistance to Yemenis who have endured crisis conditions for far too long.”

The United States said it continues to support a negotiated peace in Yemen under UN auspices and strongly supports the work of the OHCHR and other agencies and organizations bringing relief to the Yemeni people.

According to Patel, there can be no sustainable solution to Yemen’s conflict as long as the Houthis insist on attacking international ships and threatening their neighbors and the Yemeni people.

Houthi Leader Threatens

Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi vowed on Thursday to retaliate against the Israeli attacks on the port of Hodeidah.

He said 73 Houthis have been killed and 181 injured since the beginning of the group’s military operations against Israel in October 2023, including about six killed and 80 injured in the Israeli attacks on Hodeidah.

The Houthi leader admitted that American fighter jets conducted 10 airstrikes against his group this week alone. Eight of these strikes reportedly targeted the coastal province of Hodeidah on the Red Sea, with additional strikes in Hajjah province and Sanaa.

He then revealed that also this week, his group launched 15 ballistic and cruise missiles, along with drones against ships.

Al-Houthi said his group was able to mobilize over 400,000 people for military training programs.

He added that the response on the killing of Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh is certainly coming, with its own trajectory, preparations, tactics, and dedicated capabilities.



Security Council Urges Syrian Authorities to Protect Minorities

Security personnel inspect vehicles at a checkpoint set up to confiscate stolen items, in Latakia, Syria March 14, 2025. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi
Security personnel inspect vehicles at a checkpoint set up to confiscate stolen items, in Latakia, Syria March 14, 2025. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi
TT
20

Security Council Urges Syrian Authorities to Protect Minorities

Security personnel inspect vehicles at a checkpoint set up to confiscate stolen items, in Latakia, Syria March 14, 2025. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi
Security personnel inspect vehicles at a checkpoint set up to confiscate stolen items, in Latakia, Syria March 14, 2025. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi

The UN Security Council has condemned the widespread violence in several provinces in Syria, calling on the interim authorities “to protect all Syrians without distinction.”

In a presidential statement it adopted unanimously on Friday, the Council “condemned the widespread violence perpetrated in Syria’s Latakia and Tartus provinces since 6 March — including mass killings of civilians among the Alawite community.”

The Council “condemned attacks targeting civilian infrastructure” and “called on all parties to immediately cease all violence and inflammatory activities and ensure the protection of all civilian populations and infrastructure, as well as humanitarian operations.”

It said “all parties and States must ensure full, safe and unhindered humanitarian access to those affected and the humane treatment of all persons. The Council also urged a rapid increase of humanitarian support across Syria.”

The Council “called for swift, transparent, independent, impartial and comprehensive investigations to ensure accountability and bring all perpetrators of violence against civilians to justice.”

It took note of the Syrian interim authorities’ establishment of an independent committee to investigate such violence and identify those responsible.

The Council also noted the Syrian decision to establish a committee for civil peace.

It renewed its call for an inclusive political process led and owned by Syrians, facilitated by the UN and based on the principles outlined in resolution 2254. “This includes safeguarding the rights of all Syrians — regardless of ethnicity or religion — meeting their legitimate aspirations and enabling them to peacefully, independently and democratically determine their futures.”

Meanwhile, the Special Envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, hoped that the Constitutional Declaration issued by the Syrian authorities “will move Syria toward restoring the rule of law and promoting an orderly inclusive transition.”

Pedersen issued a statement on the fourteenth anniversary of the war in Syria.

“Now is the time for bold moves to create a genuinely credible and inclusive transitional government and legislative body; a constitutional framework and process to draft a new constitution for the long term that is credible and inclusive too; and genuine transitional justice,” he said.

“More than three months since the fall of the Assad regime, Syria now stands at a pivotal moment,” he added.

The Special Envoy called for “an immediate end to all violence and for protection of civilians in accordance with international law” and called “for a credible independent investigation into the recent killings and violence, and for the full cooperation of the caretaker authorities with the United Nations in this regard.”