While continuing to rely on international support to implement, extend and extend the current ceasefire, Hans Grundberg stressed “the need to end the conflict, not merely manage it. “.
‘Building a lasting peace’
The UN envoy praised the sides for extending the ceasefire to October 2, continuing “the longest pause in fighting since the war began” more than seven years ago.
In addition to humanitarian and economic measures, the agreement has two months to negotiate to improve the lives of the Yemeni people and figure out next steps to end the conflict.
“We all need to remind ourselves that Failure to reach an agreement to extend the ceasefire will lead to new cycles of escalation and violencewith predictable and devastating consequences for Yemen’s population,” he said, calling on the parties to “build a lasting peace”.
The first UN-brokered armistice entered into force on 2 April and has been extended every two months since then.
Armistice is upheld militarily
Regarding the implementation of the current truce, Mr. Grundberg noted that over the next four and a half months, the agreement “continues to be broadly upheld militarily”.
Neither major military operations nor confirmed airstrikes inside the country have occurred, nor have there been cross-border attacks originating from Yemen.
And while civilian casualties “reduced significantly”, he marked a “disturbing development” where child casualties are on the rise and currently account for about 40% of reported civilian casualties.
He detailed a “particularly horrifying incident” on July 23, when a mortar fire in Taiz on the Zaid al-Mushki neighborhood killed one child and wounded 10 others, condemning ” all such acts of violence”.
Incident management
Noting that the truce lacked an independent monitoring mechanism, he encouraged the parties to use its channels, such as the Military Coordination Committee (MCC), to manage these incidents.
He updated that the MCC is scheduled to meet in Amman at the end of the month and that the parties will also set up a Joint Coordination Room to assist the MCC through de-escalation of operations.
© UNICEF / Areej Alghabri
A twelve-year-old Yemeni girl and her brother tutor math.
Tangible elements
The envoy outlined key components of the truce, including the opening of Sana’a International Airport to commercial flights and the flow of fuel imports to the port of Hudaydah.
He reiterated the “key role of the United Nations Verification and Inspection Mechanism (UNVIM)” in facilitating fuel imports, warning that a funding shortfall could lead to to the closing.
Mr. Grundberg said that the parties continued to “emphasize the need to build on the existing armistice“To include more economic and security priorities and lasting solutions to political problems.
Extended Agreement
The senior UN official suggested that an expanded ceasefire should include a transparent disbursement mechanism to regularly pay civil servants and civilian pensions, paving the way in Taiz and other governments. other, regular fuel flows to the ports of Hadiyah and a “permanent ceasefire in preparation for the resumption of a Yemen-led political process under the auspices of the United Nations”.
He reminded that the latest extension allows the parties to work towards an extended armistice, under which he is “intensifying” his efforts to assist them in resolving outstanding issues.
“Due to the complexity of the issues being resolved and the time constraints we face, I urge the parties to show flexibility and respond positively should I ask them to convene to reach an agreement. agreed,” concluded the Special Representative.
UN photo / Ekinder Debebe
Hans Grundberg, Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Yemen (file photo)..
Important Actions Needed
Ghada Mudawi, a senior official in the UN’s humanitarian office OCHAupdated the Council on the actions needed to strengthen the Yemeni economy, support UNVIM and increase funding.
On the economy, she emphasized that a worsening exchange rate is prohibiting people from buying food, nearly all of which must be imported.
“Commercial imports are an essential lifeline‘ she reminded while noting that they fell in July for ‘fourth month in a row’.
Turning to UNVIM, she informed the ambassadors that although $3.5 million was needed for the UN team to support the private sector for Yemen’s imports until December, the mechanism would lapse if not approved. funding.
Presenting her final view, on the environment in which humanitarians operate, she asserts that “relief work is still more difficult and dangerous than it should be”, noting that the equivalent of about six crashes every day, mainly due to moving.
She pointed to detained and missing UN staff, emphasizing that all aid workers “should be released now”.
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