YouSaid · the spoken record

Martin Griffiths

lines on the record: 71
first: 2020-04-16
most recent: 2021-05-12
sittings or episodes: 8
sources: un-security-council

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“In the coming weeks, I will work with the parties to conclude negotiations over a deal that would stop the fighting, address critical humanitarian issues and resume the political process. I ask the international community to redouble its efforts to support that endeavour, and I hope that the parties will demonstrate the political will to move forward. If needed, I will call on them to meet face to face to chart a path forward. What I have described is the duty of the mediator, but I cannot force the parties to negotiate. That is their obligation.”
2021-05-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/465 (2021) · source
“I want to restate my gratitude to Oman, Saudi Arabia and the United States of America, among others, for their support. Moreover, the differences between the parties on the issues under negotiation are not unbridgeable. A deal can be achieved if the key political leaders heed the calls of the Yemenis and the international community, including the Security Council, and make the right decision and if the parties have the political will to make the compromises necessary to end the fighting. Taking the decision to end the conflict and open the door to peace is the most consequential choice that any party can make. The opportunity is still there for the parties, but time is of the essence. What is currently on the table may not be available later. Stalling the negotiations serves no one, least of all the Yemeni people.”
2021-05-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/465 (2021) · source
“The second issue is reopening Sana’a International Airport to commercial traffic and ensuring the uninterrupted flow of fuel and other commodities into Yemen through Al-Hudaydah port. Those measures are imperative. Civilians suffer the most from the weaponization of the economy. We see that very clearly today in Ansar Allah-controlled areas, where severe fuel shortages are impacting hospitals, essential services, food supply and more. Civilian needs must be prioritized above all else. The third point is a commitment to resuming the political process in order to find a political settlement that ends the conflict. A deal is still very possible. There is strong international backing and regional momentum for the United Nations efforts.”
2021-05-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/465 (2021) · source
“Since March 2020, I have been engaging the parties on the terms of a clear alternative to the cycles of violence and acute humanitarian suffering. I have conducted multiple rounds of intensive and complex negotiations with each side. The terms of the deal have undergone many revisions, but all proposals would have achieved the following crucial points. First is a commitment to a nationwide ceasefire, which would provide immense humanitarian relief. It would allow for the opening of roads in many parts of the country, including in Taiz, Al-Hudaydah and Ma’rib. It would allow for children to go to school safely and for civilians to live in relative calm across Yemen for the first time in many years.”
2021-05-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/465 (2021) · source
“There are options on the table that would allow for the peaceful and durable resolution of key issues. Those include lifting the harsh restrictions on the flow of commercial goods, especially fuel, through Al-Hudaydah port and the reopening of Sana’a airport to commercial traffic. I fear that the Ma’rib offensive may suggest a belief that the war can be won outright militarily, but a military conquest will not decisively end the war. It will only invite further cycles of violence and unrest. Yemen cannot be governed effectively without inclusive partnerships. As the members of the Security Council have reiterated time and again, the way to end the conflict is through an inclusive, negotiated political settlement.”
2021-05-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/465 (2021) · source
“Ansar Allah’s offensive, which has been ongoing for more than a year, has caused an astonishing loss of life, including children who have been thrown mercilessly into the battle. Internally displaced persons who have sought refuge in Ma’rib continue to live in fear for their lives. Civilians have been displaced multiple times. The offensive has been constantly disrupting peace efforts. I once again call on Ansar Allah to immediately stop its attack on Ma’rib. The longer the Ma’rib offensive continues, the greater the risks to Yemen’s broader stability and social cohesion. It may lead to the transfer of conflict to other areas in Yemen, including those that have remained mercifully far from the main theatres of conflict. The continued assault on Ma’rib is unjustifiable.”
2021-05-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/465 (2021) · source
“I would like to extend my warmest wishes to the people of Yemen and to Muslims around the world on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr. Despite the redoubled efforts in recent months to reach a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Yemen, I am unfortunately not here today to report that the parties are closing in on a deal. Instead, I must report relentless military escalation by Ansar Allah in Ma’rib; continued restrictions on imports through Al-Hudaydah, contributing to severe fuel shortages; restrictions on Yemenis’ freedom of movement across the country, including the continued closure of Sana’a airport; and the absence of a political process, which deprives Yemenis of hope that an end to the conflict is near. I cannot re-emphasize enough what is at stake in Ma’rib.”
2021-05-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/465 (2021) · source
“I welcome the recent statements from the parties that they are ready to engage in a full-fledged release of detainees. I urge them to follow through on their commitments to bring relief to thousands of families waiting for their loved ones. These events and arrangements will allow for a normalization of life, which has all too often seemed like a cruel hope for the people of Yemen. Let us together call upon the parties not to disappoint and to instead deliver Yemen from its tragic plight.”
2021-04-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/372 (2021) · source
“Secondly, impediments to the entry of ships into Al-Hudaydah will be lifted, allowing those ships carrying fuel and other crucial commodities to berth and discharge their cargo. Revenues from those ships will go into the Central Bank of Yemen in Al-Hudaydah and be put towards civil service salaries. Thirdly, Sana’a airport will see flights to international and national destinations, students will come home and the sick will travel easily for medical treatment. Fourthly — and this is really a hope — the parties might agree to release those still jailed by the war so that families at long last are reunited. I am deeply alarmed by the situation of detained Yemeni journalists, especially the 15 detained in Sana’a since 2015, who are facing capital punishment.”
2021-04-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/372 (2021) · source
“They highlighted the erosion of the social fabric, the political marginalization and the severest humanitarian impacts of this war, the worst of which has often been on women and girls. The terrible effects run much deeper than I can ever capture in one briefing. But let me provide encouragement by saying something about the meaning of the deal for the Yemeni people and about how it will immediately contribute to the alleviation of their suffering. And here I may be forgiven for some hope. First, the guns will fall silent and the roads long blocked by front lines will open for the passage of goods, humanitarian first, for the free movement of people, for children to go to schools unhindered and for workers to return to their places of work across the lines.”
2021-04-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/372 (2021) · source
“This will be a considerable boost for the efforts to maintain calm in Al-Hudaydah and implement the Agreement reached in Stockholm. In Taiz, fighting has increased and tensions continue to build. The city’s civilian population continues to suffer the worst of the conflict and its impact on basic services and the freedom of movement. Like many areas of the country, Taiz has also been hit by an alarming resurgence of COVID-19 cases. Key roads in Taiz have been closed for several years, inflicting terrible social and economic consequences on the people. What I have described provides only a small glimpse of the effects of the war. Listening to Yemeni women gives us a deeper insight into the often-untold stories of this conflict. My Office has just completed a second digital consultation with Yemeni women from several governorates.”
2021-04-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/372 (2021) · source
“Ma’rib remains the major centre of gravity for the conflict. The fighting in the area is showing dangerous signs of escalating once again. Internally displaced people, along with local communities, have been in the line of fire. I am also alarmed by reports of multiple drone and ballistic missile attacks carried out by Ansar Allah against Saudi territory during the past week, including against civilian facilities. In Al-Hudaydah, the United Nations Mission to Support the Hodeidah Agreement (UNMHA) has been undertaking intensive discussions with the parties on the resumption of the activities under the umbrella of the Redeployment Coordination Committee and to rebalance UNMHA’s presence so as to be equally accessible to both parties. I hope these discussions are going in the right direction.”
2021-04-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/372 (2021) · source
“And in one last, and perhaps most important, regard there is reason for hope: the way to end the war is known and its principal elements are frequently discussed with the parties. We have what my counterpart Tim Lenderking calls “a fair plan” on the table. It is a plan that favours the humanitarian, knowing that this is what the people need. It is a plan that learns from experience of previous agreements. Thus, no partial ceasefires, only a nationwide ceasefire; no agreement without adequate preparation, for we are ready to put into immediate effect the decisions reached; a specific time agreed for the launch of that crucial political process. All we need now is for the parties to agree to this deal. That is all. The urgency of progress towards a peaceful settlement makes the continued violence on the ground all the more concerning.”
2021-04-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/372 (2021) · source
“Generally, it is also true that there is a convergence of diplomatic interests in favour of an end to the war and its successful political resolution. Since we last met (see S/2021/266), I have visited Muscat, Amman, Riyadh, Abu Dhabi and Berlin. In all these capitals I have discussed in detail our current efforts to end the war in Yemen. And in all cases I have come across at a minimum a consensus in support, and as often an active role in support for, the four points on which we are seeking agreement between the parties. So the Security Council’s unity is reinforced by diplomatic unanimity and by specific actions by key Member states. They know who they are, and I thank them deeply.”
2021-04-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/372 (2021) · source
“Six years gone and, as bad as anything else, no sense as to when this tragedy might end. Ending this war is the simple and heartfelt aspiration of any and every Yemeni polled, consulted or otherwise included in the national conversation about the war. It is very likely that a similar massive popular consensus in favour of peace exists in all conflicts. The people are always the champions of peace. And in this Yemen is no different from other countries burdened by conflict. But, in two other ways, Yemen is indeed different. The first is that the international community, as represented by the Security Council, is united. I am grateful to the Council for keeping Yemen high on its agenda and for always delivering a central, clear and consistent message: that the only way out of the conflict is a negotiated political solution.”
2021-04-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/372 (2021) · source
“Allow me to start by extending my warmest wishes to the people of Yemen and to Muslims around the world for the Holy Month of Ramadan. Ramadan kareem. For many Yemenis, the conflict has changed the way they see their lives and their futures. In many areas of the country, a generation of children has suffered sporadic or no schooling. Employment is too often partial or non-existent. The institutions of the State, essential for the delivery of basic services, have suffered years of attrition. The problems in getting fuel imported drive up prices of basic commodities. Electricity in some parts of Yemen is a daily struggle. And, as we will hear from Mark Lowcock, the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has unleashed itself again on the people of Yemen.”
2021-04-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/372 (2021) · source
“An end to all this misery, to the lives thrown away for illusory military gains and to the tragedy of Yemen’s families desperate for that end and a way out of this misery. To them, to us all, we say those glad tidings cannot come a day too soon.”
2021-03-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/266 (2021) · source
“They owe it to the Yemeni people to provide hope that there is an end in sight to this conflict. I am alarmed that the mere fact of meeting across the table to discuss the contours of ending the war is being framed as a concession rather than an obligation. We have been pursuing this agenda with renewed vigour these past weeks. We are fortunate to work closely with key Member States on these issues, and their engagement gives us all more energy and a great deal more hope. I want to particularly thank you, Madam President, and your Government for your support in recent weeks and for the tireless efforts of your Special Envoy, Tim Lenderking. I wish that today I could bear glad tidings. But we are not there yet. We know what the Council wants. We know what the international community wants. We know what the people of Yemen want.”
2021-03-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/266 (2021) · source
“In addition to these humanitarian considerations, my particular task is to help the parties to end the conflict, and that can come about only through resolving their differences through negotiation. This is my focus, and this is why I include the resumption of an inclusive political process to the three humanitarian priorities listed above. Hence the urgent agenda of the United Nations for negotiations are four issues, three of them are humanitarian and one the launch of the much-delayed political process. I must, however, clarify that there can be no preconditions for resuming the political process. Resuming the process and engaging seriously in it is an obligation upon the warring parties. And they must engage constantly and seriously at all stages with the United Nations to make this happen.”
2021-03-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/266 (2021) · source
“We are often, and rightly, reminded that Yemen is the world’s largest humanitarian disaster and that famine has now arrived to add to the tragedy of Yemen. In this connection, Mark Lowcock often reminds us of the link between the incidence of famine and the places where the war is hottest. So it has been incumbent upon the parties for a long time, and now more than ever, to agree to stop the fighting, to silence the guns. A nationwide ceasefire, along with opening Sana’a airport and ensuring the unhindered flow of fuel and other commodities into Yemen through the Al-Hudaydah ports, are urgent humanitarian imperatives. These measures will ease the impact of the conflict on civilians and facilitate Yemenis’ right to the freedom of movement. We must do all we can to allow Yemen to breathe.”
2021-03-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/266 (2021) · source
“The world was reminded of the plight of the migrant community last week when a horrific fire broke out at a detention facility in Sana’a holding predominantly Ethiopian migrants. Dozens were killed in the fire, and over 170 seriously injured. There must be an independent investigation into the cause of the fire. All people in Yemen, regardless of nationality, must be afforded protection and kept safe. Allow me to turn to the proposed way forward. There have been many reports and much public commentary of late on the efforts being made to bring an end to the fighting and to the need for the launch of the political process. I would like here to clarify for the Council my own appreciation of the situation.”
2021-03-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/266 (2021) · source
“I hope the parties will engage constructively with United Nations efforts to find a sustainable solution to this critical humanitarian issue. The situation in Aden and the surrounding governorates remains difficult. It is encouraging that the new Cabinet continues to execute its functions from inside Yemen. This is good for State institutions and the overall prospects for peace in Yemen. But it is clear that improving basic services, including access to electricity, making sure that salaries will be paid to Government employees without further delay, ensuring security and stabilizing the economy will require more resources. Such resources are currently in short supply. It is not only Yemenis who are suffering in Yemen.”
2021-03-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/266 (2021) · source
“Fuel imports have not been permitted to enter Al-Hudaydah since January. This has contributed to the increase in the cost of basic commodities and put hospitals and services at risk. This is simply unacceptable on humanitarian grounds, and the United Nations has consistently drawn the attention of the Council to these issues. It is vital that obstacles to imports and domestic distribution of fuel for civilian use be removed. I call on the parties to prioritize civilian needs above all else and not to weaponize the economy. As a result, I call here on the Government of Yemen to urgently permit the entry of fuel ships to Al-Hudaydah. There should be no further delay. The revenues stemming from the fees and taxes of the oil ships should be exclusively used for the payment of the salaries of civil servants based on the 2014 payroll database.”
2021-03-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/266 (2021) · source
“We are also seeing other fronts in Yemen opening up, including with military escalations in Hajjah and Taiz. In Al-Hudaydah, there has been a troubling continuation of violence, causing civilian deaths and injuries, including women and children. I join Lieutenant General Guha, Head of the United Nations Mission to Support the Hodeidah Agreement (UNMHA), in condemning attacks that endanger civilians. UNMHA continues its efforts to reactivate the Redeployment Coordination Committee and its subsidiary joint mechanisms and to achieve a more balanced mission footprint across the territory of Al-Hudaydah. I encourage the parties to work constructively with the Mission to make progress in those regards. Even as the conflict intensifies, acute fuel shortages for civilians persist in Sana’a and the surrounding governorates.”
2021-03-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/266 (2021) · source
“Unfortunately, I am returning to the Security Council yet again to report a deterioration of the conflict in Yemen. This time, it is quite a dramatic deterioration. Ansar Allah’s offensive on Ma’rib governorate continues, putting civilians, including an estimated 1 million internally displaced persons, at risk. Fighting forces on both sides have suffered heavy losses. I see shocking reports of children increasingly getting drawn into the war effort and deprived of their future. Cross-border attacks also increased significantly in recent weeks. I am concerned by the intensification of missile and drone strikes, including ones that have targeted civilian and commercial infrastructure in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Subsequently, airstrikes took place within the confines of Sana’a city, endangering civilians there as well.”
2021-03-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/266 (2021) · source
“I also call for the immediate and unconditional release of all sick, wounded, elderly and child detainees as well as all arbitrarily detained civilians, including women and journalists. As a mediator, I seek common grounds for agreements. With the support of the international community, I persuade, facilitate and encourage dialogue. But there is nothing anybody can do to force the warring parties into peace unless they choose to put down the guns and talk to each other. The responsibility to end the war, first and foremost, lies with the parties to the conflict. I hope they will not miss this chance.”
2021-02-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/167 (2021) · source
“In the Al-Hudaydah and Ta’iz governorates, worrisome spikes of violence and hostilities continue, causing civilian deaths and injuries and damage to homes. Even more alarming are the continued cross-border attacks, which damage prospects for peace and regional stability. We know that the negotiating table can produce win-win results. The parties demonstrated that last year when they successfully negotiated a large-scale release of prisoners and detainees. For the past three weeks, the parties have been meeting again in Amman in an effort to agree on more individuals to release. I urge them to continue their discussions in good faith and to bring this round to a successful conclusion.”
2021-02-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/167 (2021) · source
“Now is decision time. An agreement on these issues would offer Yemenis a break from relentless cycles of violence. It would facilitate the movement of people and goods. And it could create an environment conducive to the parties moving to address the real issue at hand: inclusive talks to end the war. The political process would need to resume promptly; a nationwide ceasefire will not be sustainable if it is not tied to progress on the political track. I will continue engaging the parties on this path forward, and I hope they will demonstrate the will to make progress. I want to emphasize what is at stake. The military situation in the country is extremely tense, and civilians bear the brunt of the hostilities, with shocking violations of international humanitarian law taking place.”
2021-02-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/167 (2021) · source
“They should also agree to economic and humanitarian measures, at a minimum to include ensuring the unhindered flow of fuel and other commodities into Yemen through the Al-Hudaydah ports, with port revenues going towards civil-servant salaries based on the 2014 payroll database, and opening Sana’a airport to commercial traffic. These measures should maximize humanitarian objectives, while providing appropriate security guarantees in line with Security Council resolutions. They should not be exploited for political or military gain. It is the Yemeni people who suffer from the weaponization of the economy. These issues — the ceasefire, Al-Hudaydah ports and Sana’a airport — have long been under negotiation. They are well known to all parties. Mechanisms can be agreed upon. What is needed is political will to end the conflict.”
2021-02-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/167 (2021) · source
“Security arrangements should provide for the Yemeni people’s safety and lead towards responsive security institutions that uphold the rule of law. The Yemeni people will need guarantees for equal citizenship under the law, including for Yemeni women and girls, as well as guarantees of humanitarian relief, reconstruction, transitional justice and economic recovery. None of these elements of an agreement are new. They are based on broad consultations with Yemenis and prior rounds of peace negotiations. The main outstanding question is how to get there. To seize this chance to revitalize the political process, the parties should immediately agree to a nationwide ceasefire that halts all forms of fighting.”
2021-02-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/167 (2021) · source
“Through this political process, Yemenis could negotiate an agreement to end the conflict and bring about sustainable peace. Such an agreement should ensure a complete end to the use of violence for political gain. The agreement would be time-bound and would end with national elections. During the period of transition, Yemen’s unity, sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity must be respected. Political arrangements should be based on the principles of inclusive partnership and continued dialogue among Yemen’s political and social components, including women and civil society. The political partnership would have to be strong, and Yemenis would need to address critical political questions that will persist nationally and in many areas of the country, not least in the south.”
2021-02-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/167 (2021) · source
“But in any negotiation, the parties need to know where they are going. They need to clearly see the end-state. I think it is therefore important that I reiterate what could constitute the basic elements of a mutually acceptable end to the war and a path towards peace. Those elements should be guided by the aspirations Yemenis have long expressed — for a future marked by peaceful political participation, accountable governance, equal citizenship and economic justice. This is what I have heard time and again from Yemeni women, youth, civil society, political parties and community leaders. Yemenis own the vision of the future that drives our work. The only way to realize these aspirations is through a genuinely inclusive, Yemeni-led political process under United Nations auspices and supported by the international community.”
2021-02-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/167 (2021) · source
“Insufficient fuel ships entering Al- Hudaydah port, coupled with obstacles to domestic distribution, have resulted in serious fuel shortages in Ansar Allah-controlled parts of the north. We hear reports that hospitals and food factories are running out of fuel. I hope that the Government of Yemen will quickly permit the entry of fuel ships to alleviate this situation. Although the situation on the ground is deteriorating, I am encouraged to report that there is renewed international momentum behind finding a peaceful resolution to the conflict. I particularly welcome the renewed focus the United States is placing on this conflict. International support for ending the conflict is indispensable and offers a new opportunity to reopen space for a negotiated solution. There is a negotiated way out of this conflict.”
2021-02-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/167 (2021) · source
“I am saddened to report that over the past month, with Ansar Allah’s most recent offensive on Ma’rib governorate, the conflict in Yemen has taken a sharp escalatory turn. I have denounced this offensive operation many times since early last year when the operation started, and I will repeat my call now: the attack on Ma’rib must stop. It puts millions of civilians at risk, especially with the fighting reaching camps for internally displaced persons. The quest for territorial gain by force threatens the prospects of the peace process. The humanitarian situation is also worsening, as Mr. Lowcock will explain to us in more detail. The threat of famine is still looming. Large numbers of civil servants are not being paid their salaries.”
2021-02-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/167 (2021) · source
“Despite all their bitter opposition, and with the tireless efforts of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as mediator, the two sides made peace with each other. It therefore can be done.”
2021-01-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/56 (2021) · source
“Furthermore, in the last few days alone, I have received candid advice from Member States in the region that now is the time to pursue a successful conclusion to the negotiations. In any case, irrespective of the outcome of the negotiations, we need to maintain our focus and that of the parties on the primary goal, which is to resume an inclusive political process designed to comprehensively end the conflict. Agreeing on a political end-state is of fundamental importance. It is the way the war ends. That is why, for the parties, resuming the political process is more than an obligation — it is a duty. Let me end on a more positive note. Progress on the Riyadh agreement is significant. It shows us that reconciliation between opposing parties can be achieved.”
2021-01-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/56 (2021) · source
“Indeed, in my very first briefing to the Security Council I called for the opening of the Sana’a International Airport (see S/PV.8235). The parties also need to agree on the release of more prisoners and detainees. I am encouraged that the parties will be expected to meet soon to make progress on this file. I know that the negotiations on the joint declaration have been cumbersome and frustrating and that they cannot continue indefinitely. But let me be clear, the parties can slice and dice the set of proposals contained in the joint declaration in any way they wish. It can be a whole package. It can be done in parts. I have no objection to the way the measures are adopted, because I still believe that it is right to pursue the proposals contained in the declaration.”
2021-01-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/56 (2021) · source
“Every month for the last nine months, we have discussed in the Security Council the hopes we shared that the parties might agree to the joint declaration — a set of proposals covering a nationwide ceasefire, some measures of humanitarian and economic relief for the Yemeni people and, of course, the resumption of the political process. The fact is that the two parties agreed in principle to the nationwide ceasefire but differences have remained on the economic and humanitarian proposals, in particular those concerning the manner in which salaries would be paid to civil servants, the reactivation of the ports of Al-Hudaydah for imports and the opening of Sana’a airport for international flights. From the beginning, the United Nations has been clear that these humanitarian measures need to be introduced.”
2021-01-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/56 (2021) · source
“In any event, I remain committed to engaging with all parties, including Ansar Allah, designated or not, so as to end the conflict in Yemen. However, none of the foregoing is anywhere near as important as the humanitarian consequences, as we will hear from Mr. Lowcock. I strongly associate myself with his view that the decision will contribute to famine in Yemen, and therefore should be revoked on humanitarian grounds at the earliest opportunity. The path to peace in Yemen was never easy, and I believe that it is now a great deal more difficult than a month ago. But there is a way out. We must remember that, even after all the tragedies that Yemenis across the country have suffered, peace is possible where there is the will to make it happen.”
2021-01-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/56 (2021) · source
“The formation of the Cabinet and its return to Aden was a major milestone for the Riyadh agreement and for the stability of State institutions, the economy and the peace process. I congratulate President Mansour, the parties to the Riyadh agreement and all political parties and components that supported and contributed to this process. I also commend the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for its success in its role as mediator. I am extremely concerned about the impact of the decision of the United States to designate Ansar Allah as a foreign terrorist organization. We fear that inevitably there will be a chilling effect on my efforts to bring the parties together. We all hope to have absolute clarity on an expansive package of licenses and exemptions to be able to carry out our duties mandated by the Security Council.”
2021-01-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/56 (2021) · source
“In the days after the attack, I travelled to Riyadh to meet President Abdrabuh Mansour Hadi Mansour, and to Aden to see the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister; I also met with the Governor. In Aden, the wreckage I saw at the attack site shook me. The extent of the damage was extraordinary. The Government launched an investigation into the Aden attack. Earlier today, the Government made public its conclusions that Ansar Allah was behind the attack. For its part, Ansar Allah has denied any direct or indirect involvement in the attack. The attack was an unacceptable act of violence. It cast a dark shadow over what should have been a moment of hope in the efforts to achieve peace in Yemen.”
2021-01-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/56 (2021) · source
“The year 2020 ended on a harrowing note for Yemen. On 30 December, a vicious attack targeted the newly formed Cabinet of the Yemeni Government upon their arrival at Aden’s civilian airport. Dozens of civilians were injured or killed, including Government officials, humanitarian workers and a journalist. Deliberate attacks on civilians or civilian objects are prohibited by international humanitarian law and may constitute a war crime. I condemn this attack in the strongest terms possible. I offer my most sincere condolences for those who lost their lives, as well as my hopes for a full and speedy recovery to the injured. I also want to express my solidarity with the new Government, which has demonstrated its resolve to stay in Aden to carry out its duties to the Yemeni people despite the security risks.”
2021-01-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/56 (2021) · source
“The Yemeni women emphasized the importance of resuming negotiations, ending the war and enhancing women’s political participation and representation and protection from political and gender- based violence. These ideas are not just good for Yemeni women; they are good ideas for all Yemenis. To ensure that these ideas become central to the negotiations, we need to see women represented in their delegations. All of us in our different ways can help to make this happen. And so, Yemen is at a point of decision, not for the first time and certainly not for the last time. As we will be hearing from Mark Lowcock and David Beasley, the plight of its people demands nothing less than a firm bet on peace, ending the shooting war, opening up the country and resuming the search for an inclusive political solution. It is that simple and that important.”
2020-11-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1109 (2020) · source
“One year ago, the Government of Yemen and the Southern Transitional Council signed the Riyadh agreement under the auspices of Saudi Arabia. This gave us all hope of greater stability in the southern governorates, improved functioning of State institutions and the prospect of genuine political cooperation between the signatories. I call on the parties to swiftly implement the agreement, as Yemen needs the agreement to work, and so does the peace process. The twentieth anniversary of resolution 1325 (2000) has rightly intensified the attention to women’s participation in Yemen. I am continually amazed by women’s courage and their determination to end the war and build peace in Yemen. To mark the anniversary, my Office and UN-Women convened a meeting of 30 Yemeni women leaders, along with international partners.”
2020-11-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1109 (2020) · source
“Discussions with Ansar Allah have been far slower than an issue of this urgency and magnitude requires. The United Nations has been trying to negotiate access for months for the expert mission to conduct an assessment of the condition of the vessel, apply essential repairs and formulate recommendations on what is required to avoid a spill. Although discussions have been constructive, we have yet to receive the approvals needed for the mission. Given what is at stake, it is of the utmost importance that Ansar Allah give the United Nations the green light to proceed. As the conflict in Yemen has become prolonged, broader stability has become an ever-more pressing concern, not least in the southern governorates.”
2020-11-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1109 (2020) · source
“My colleague Lieutenant General Guha has told me that the situation in Al-Hudaydah has become calmer, but the tensions between the parties persist. The United Nations Mission to Support the Hodeidah Agreement has continued its efforts to reactivate the Redeployment Coordination Committee and other joint mechanisms to further cooperation between the parties in accordance with the Al-Hudaydah agreement. Overall, I must underline that there is no better option than a ceasefire, combined with a return to the political process, for the parties to create stability on the front lines. That is what they can bring to the Yemeni people through the joint declaration. I turn now to the vexed issue of the FSO SAFER tanker, whose solution is long overdue.”
2020-11-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1109 (2020) · source
“They have been over this ground many times. With determination I believe that they can reach an agreed path towards an end to this conflict. Since my previous briefing (see S/PV.8770), the violence on the front lines has not been as intense as in previous months. This is positive, but by no means a source of great comfort. I am deeply concerned by the periodic spikes in violence between the parties in Ma’rib and Taiz, and the recent escalation in attacks on Saudi territory. I hope that these spikes do not herald a return to the widespread violence of earlier this year. Several locations have experienced shootings and shelling that destroyed homes, schools, hospitals and places of worship. Once again, I call on the parties to uphold their obligations under international law to protect civilian lives and infrastructure.”
2020-11-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1109 (2020) · source
“The parties negotiate with each other, and not with me. I am struck by the example of the meeting recently held in Switzerland on the release of prisoners and detainees. In that case, with all due care for coronavirus- disease protocols, we were able to bring the two parties to meet and successfully produce a result that gave hope to many Yemenis. I am becoming convinced that perhaps this is what is needed in the joint declaration: an opportunity for the parties to explain their positions to each other and together reach the compromises needed. I shall be discussing this and other options with the parties. No doubt the issues in the joint declaration are among the most challenging and fundamental to the politics of this conflict and the situation on the ground. This cannot be underestimated. But the parties know the issues well.”
2020-11-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1109 (2020) · source
“There is an often-repeated maxim in conflicts around the world that the parties involved must take ownership of the solution for it to be workable and for peace to be sustained. Yemen is no exception to this maxim. The conflict is between the Yemeni parties. Only serious and deliberate commitments by their leaders can bring this conflict to a close. It is now time for them to take the final decisions required to bring the negotiations on the joint declaration to fruition. I have been moving back and forth between the parties in search of finality on the joint declaration for several weeks. The same challenges have been coming up repeatedly, particularly with regard to economic and humanitarian measures. I have been working with each party to find solutions. But in the end, I am the mediator and not the negotiator.”
2020-11-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1109 (2020) · source
“I thank the President of the Security Council for this opportunity to update the Council. As Council members are well aware, I have been mediating the text of a joint declaration for many months. I have been carrying out discussions virtually and, when practical, shuttling between the parties. It has been a painstaking process, which has faced many challenges along the way. The parties have remained engaged throughout. But it is immensely frustrating to the Yemeni people that they have not yet been able to agree on a final text. I thank the Security Council again for its steadfast support for the achievement of an urgent agreement on the joint declaration, most recently through its press statement of 16 October (SC/14329).”
2020-11-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1109 (2020) · source