The shockwaves from the war in Gaza continue to reverberate
across the wider Middle East region, with the situation in Yemen
much more complex than it was a few months ago, the UN Special
Envoy for the country said on Wednesday.
Briefing the Security Council, Hans
Grundberg recalled “steady progress” in UN efforts to mediate the
complex decade-long crisis, set off by the overthrow of the
Government by Houthi rebels in 2014.
However, the locus of attention has shifted dramatically since
December 2023 due to the Israel-Gaza war and the military
escalation in the Red Sea.
“As much as I have tried to insulate the peace process from wider
regional dynamics, the reality is that mediation efforts in Yemen
cannot be neatly cordoned off. What happens regionally impacts
Yemen, and what happens in Yemen can impact the region,” he said.
Despite the deteriorating situation, efforts to resolve the
crisis in Yemen would continue no matter what, Mr. Grundberg
stressed, adding that it is vital to preserve the political space
and keep open the channels of communication.
Complicated crisis
Yemen’s civil war began in September 2014 when Houthi rebels took
the capital, Sana’a, forcing the Government to leave, and leading
to a military intervention by a Saudi-led coalition in support of
the Government in early 2015.
The conflict has resulted in widespread displacement, food and
medical shortages, and a cholera outbreak, prompting the UN to
label the situation as the world’s worst humanitarian
crisis, with millions of civilians in urgent need of
assistance.
Hundreds of thousands of people have died because of the fighting
or due to starvation, and about 15 per cent of the population are
displaced – most of whom have been displaced multiple times.
The situation is further complicated by political instability and
ongoing violence - and, more recently, the spillover of the
crisis in Gaza – exacerbating the suffering of the civilian
population.
‘A sense of foreboding’
Mr. Grundberg cited “worrying developments” within Yemen and “a
sense of foreboding” on several fronts – from the economy to
public infrastructure and services.
“Although the path to peace now faces more challenges, my
mediation approach is flexible enough to adapt to different
scenarios and challenges,” he said, calling for efforts to create
an “off-ramp” to the escalating crisis.
A regional de-escalation is urgently needed, he added, noting
also the need for Yemeni actors to refrain from “military
opportunism”, and for parties to refocus on safeguarding the
progress made thus far toward reaching an agreement.
“There is no reason Yemenis should be condemned to conditions of
war, poverty and repression,” the Special Envoy underscored.
“Yemenis deserve nothing less. We’ve seen successful peace
processes in other contexts unlock many of these gains. And in
Yemen, there is a compelling alternative to the path of conflict
and economic ruin.”
Humanitarian situation
On the humanitarian side, Yemen
remains a picture of “massive, continuing needs”, Edem Wosornu,
Director of Operations, at the UN Office for the Coordination of
Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), told the ambassadors.
In 2024, over 18.2 million people – over half the population –
will need humanitarian assistance and protection services, and
over 11 million are children.
Across the country, over 70 per cent of three-year-olds have not
received a full course of basic vaccinations, 80 per cent of the
population lives below the poverty line and less than half of all
hospitals are functioning – fully or partially.
The crisis is further complicated by the hostilities in the Red
Sea and the impact on aid transport through the Hodeidah and Aden
ports.
“The situation will continue to deteriorate without urgent and
sufficient attention,” Ms. Wosornu said.
She recalled the UN’s $2.7 billion humanitarian
appeal to assist some 11.2 million people across the
war-torn country, urging the international community to step up
and ensure relief operations have the funds they need to reach
those in desperate need.
