The situation in the Middle East - Security Council, 9873rd meeting

With Yemen poised for renewed conflict, insufficient aid, environmental crisis, Security Council hears political process, humanitarian funding urgently needed.

• Categories: Meetings & Events / Security Council
• Video Length: 01:33:39
• Production Date: 6 March 2025
• Asset Language: Arabic; English; French; Russian; Spanish; Chinese; Original
• Personal Subject: HANS GRUNDBERG; THOMAS FLETCHER
• Corporate Name: UNITED NATIONS OFFICE FOR THE COORDINATION OF HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS - OCHA; WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME - WFP
• Subject Topical: MILITARY ACTIVITY; ECONOMICS; YEMEN SITUATION; TERRORISM; CONFLICT; ENVIRONMENT; HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE; AID PROGRAMMES
• Geographic Subject: MIDDLE EAST; YEMEN
• MAMS Id: 3347023
• Parent Id: 3346375

Description

Fear of Yemen plunging back into widespread conflict is “palpable”, the United Nations’ top official in that country told the Security Council today, calling on the parties to refrain from military posturing and instead agree on a nationwide ceasefire. 

“I see and hear the deep frustration of the Yemeni people who continue to bear the heavy burden of a decade of war” and whose grinding hardship “only deepens”, said Hans Grundberg, Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen. He added that gross domestic product (GDP) per capita has more than halved, the Yemeni rial in Government-controlled areas has fallen by 50 per cent in the last year and poverty has surged across the country. 

Even though large-scale ground operations have not resumed since the UN-mediated truce was implemented in April 2022, he reported that military activity continues. On that, he voiced concern over recent reports of shelling, drone attacks, infiltration attempts and mobilization campaigns recently witnessed in Ma’rib, Al Jawf, Shabwa and Ta’iz. Relatedly, he warned against a rise in rhetoric from the parties, who are pre-positioning themselves publicly for military confrontation. Words, intent and signals matter, and “escalatory discourse can have real consequences”, he added. 

 

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