The UN Special Envoy for Yemen on Thursday welcomed recent steps to bolster stability and improve living conditions, but told the Security Council that only a renewed political process can end the countrys long-running conflict.
In Yemen, renewed political instability and economic woes linked to the war threaten to complicate the already difficult task of helping vulnerable people suffering from deepening hunger, illness and displacement, the UNs top aid official there said on Monday.
A fragile political calm in Yemen is fraying, with renewed instability and aid restrictions deepening hunger, illness and displacement for millions of civilians, senior UN officials warned the Security Council on Wednesday.
Hans Grundberg also warned that rising regional tensions risk dragging Yemen back into broader confrontation.
I ask this Council to remain united in supporting a credible path back to a political process, and I urge regional actors to align around the same purpose and to use their influence in a coordinated way to steer Yemenis toward engagement, he said.
A fragile situation
Since 2014, Yemeni government forces,who arebacked by a Saudi-led coalition, and Houthi rebels have beenfighting forfullcontrol of thefracturedcountry.
Theinternationally recognisedauthorities arelargely basedin the southern city of Aden while the Houthis, officially known as Ansar Allah, control the capital Sanaa and large areas of the north and west.
In recent months, forces affiliated with a separatist group in the southhaveadvanced on more territory.
Mr. Grundbergbriefed fromthe Saudi capitalRiyadh, where heheldtalks with Yemens newly appointed Prime Minister Shaya al-Zindani and members of the Presidential Leadership Council.
Hehighlighted early positive signs in government areas,including improvements in the provision of electricity and payment of public sector salaries,andcommended the appointment of three women cabinet ministers.
However, continued tensions, recent security incidents and demonstrations, where in some cases violence and loss of life has been reported,underscore the fragility of the situation, he said.
Protectrecent gains
He told the Council that thenew cabinetcanprotect recent gains by anchoring them in strengthened institutions and economic reforms.
Furthermore, a plannedsouthern dialogueoffers an opportunity to begin addressing long-standing grievances and build consensus on issues important tothe regions peopleand all Yemenis.
Mr. Grundbergsaid thatstabilisationin any part of the country will not be durable if the broader conflict is not addressed comprehensively.
It is high time to take decisive steps in that regard, he said.Without a wider negotiated political settlement to the conflict, gains will continue to remain vulnerable to reversal.
The way forward
The UN envoy has been engaging with thewarringparties, regionalactorsand the international community to explore ways to restart an inclusive political processin Yemen.
His office has also held consultations with a diverse groupof Yemenis,leading to three takeaways.
The first calls for acknowledging what more than a decade of war has done to Yemen.Althoughthe conflict has become more complex,thecommonobjectivehasremainedsteady and firm.
Yemen needs an inclusive political process under UN auspicesto reach a negotiated political settlement that can sustainably end the conflict,but getting there requires that the parties adopt a forward-looking approach, he said.
Restarting a political process will require engagement across political, economic and security issues in tandem without making engagement in one track contingent on progress in another,he added.
The third point calls for acredible processthat enablesnear-term agreements that reduce suffering anddemonstrateprogress. At the same time, space must becreatedfor negotiations onlonger-term issues, includingthe future shape of theState, securityarrangementsand principles of governance.
Free detained staff
The Special Envoyalso used the briefing toreiteratehis call fortheunconditional release ofscores ofUN personnelwho have beenarbitrarily detained by the Houthis.
Currently,73 staff arelocked up, along with representatives from civil society and diplomatic missions.
Many have beenheld incommunicado, with serious concerns about their conditions and wellbeing. Some have been referred to Ansar Allahs special criminal court, which isproceedingwith trials that fall far short of basic due process, he said.
He noted that this week marked a year since a staff member with the World FoodProgamme(WFP) died while being held and no investigation has taken place.
Houthis storm UN offices
Asenior official withtheUNaid coordinationoffice,OCHA, updated the Council on the humanitarian situation in Yemen.
As we have said in this Council before, these detentions of humanitarian workers are having a profound impact on operations,LisaDoughten, director ofOCHAsfinancing and outreach division, told ambassadors.
Shereported thattheHouthiauthorities entered multiple UN offices in Sanaa on 29 January without permission, commandeering equipment and vehicles.
Theyalso continue to withhold clearances for UN Humanitarian Air Service(UNHAS)flights to Marib,though flights to Sanaa resumed over the weekend following a month-long suspension.
Millions in need
The interference and impedimentsarehappening when22.3 million people half the population need humanitarianassistancethis year, ornearly threemillion more than in 2025.
Around18 million face food insecurity, making Yemen the regions most severe hunger crisis. It is also the country with the largest number of people experiencing emergency food security conditions, some5.5 million.
