Special Envoy of the Secretary-General of the United Nations in Yemen Hans Grundberg warned the ambassadors in Security Council Recent months have seen a “gradual increase” in fighting in several locations, as well as persistent threats of a return to war by all sides.
If the sides continue on their current trajectory of escalation, he added, “the question is not if, but when” they return to the battlefield.
The Saudi-led coalition sided with Government forces that have been embroiled in war with the Houthis and their allies since 2015 but a UN-brokered ceasefire expired in 2015. 2022, remained in place for months as peace talks continued.
Mediation efforts stalled, and when fighting began in Gaza, the Houthis pledged in solidarity to attack what they saw as pro-Israel shipping interests along the Red Sea coast using the Suez Canal. .
The situation remains unresolved as Houthi forces – officially known as Ansar Allah – have increased attacks on commercial and military vessels.
For its part, the United States (US)-led shipping protection coalition has continued airstrikes on Houthi-controlled areas in Hudaydah, the capital Sana’a and Ta’iz.
Special envoy Hans Grundberg (on screen) briefs the Security Council via video link.
Suppression of the United Nations and non-governmental organizations
Mr. Grundberg also emphasized the precarious situation for civil society, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) as well as the United Nations, who have become targets of repression by Ansar Allah.
Last week, 13 United Nations staff, 5 staff from international NGOs and many other staff from domestic NGOs and civil society were arrested by the group. They remain in solitary confinement, adding to the four UN staff detained from 2021 and 2023 respectively (two each year).
“The United Nations is here to serve the people of Yemen. As if Arbitrary arrest is not the expected signal of someone seeking an amicable solution to a conflict”, the Special Envoy said, calling for the immediate mobilization of all UN and NGO staff.
Zero-sum game
He went on to note that despite his efforts to advance the process leading to a peaceful resolution to the conflict, the warring parties in Yemen “have returned to a zero-sum game.”
“Instead of putting Yemenis first, they have chosen measures that they believe will strengthen their own position. This risks jeopardizing the viability of previously made commitments.”
The zero-sum game is most evident in difficult economic situations.
The banking system is in chaos and financial institutions in Sana’a controlled by Ansar Allah are cut off from the international system, affecting trade and money transfers.
Director Edem Wosornu presented to the Security Council.
Catastrophic ramifications
Elaborating on the banking crisis, Edem Wosornu, Executive Director at the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), warns of dire consequences, including serious consequences for humanitarian relief operations.
A potentially imminent decision to exclude Sana’a-based banks from using the SWIFT banking system would prevent banks there from facilitating financial transactions international.
Along with other problems plaguing the sector, she said, this risks further fragmenting and weakening Yemen’s already struggling economy, potentially exacerbating hunger. poverty and increased dependence on humanitarian assistance.
“The increasingly volatile banking environment has exacerbated the current liquidity crisismaking it difficult for humanitarian organizations to pay staff or procure and pay for many of the services they rely on to operate,” she said, calling on the international community to find solutions. urgently to alleviate the crisis.
