Yemen deserves hope and dignity, Security Council hears

For over a decade, Yemen has endured conflict between Houthi rebels and government forces. Millions of lives and livelihoods remain at risk, and the conflict shows no sign of ending.

“The appetite for a military escalation remains,” Hans Grundberg, UN Special Envoy for Yemen, told ambassadors.

While violence remains an immediate threat, he noted that the economy has now become the “most active frontline” of the conflict: the national currency in free fall and purchasing power rapidly declining, poverty is a daily threat.

“The little money people do have in their pockets is either falling in value or literally falling apart,” he said.

Currently, 17 million people face food insecurity – a number that could rise to 18 million by September without swift and expanded humanitarian aid.  More than one million children under the age of five are suffering from life-threatening malnutrition, putting them at risk of permanent physical and cognitive harm.

“We haven’t seen this level of deprivation since before the UN-brokered truce in early 2022,” said Tom Fletcher, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs.

Regional instability deepens the crisis

Broader instability in the Middle East has further worsened Yemen’s situation, Mr. Grundberg said, pointing to recent attacks by Ansar Allah (as the Houthi rebels are formally called) on commercial ships in the Red Sea and retaliatory strikes by Israel on key Yemeni infrastructure, including ports and a power station.

“Yemen must not be drawn deeper into the regional crisis that threatens to unravel the already extremely fragile situation in the country. The stakes for Yemen are simply too high,” he said.

Nevertheless, he noted that the ceasefire between Iran and Israel did spark hope that momentum for negotiations in Yemen might resume.

Still, he stressed that Yemen’s peace process must solely depend on regional dynamics.

“Yemen must advance regardless, moving from simply managing shocks and volatility to developing practical steps that lay the groundwork for lasting solutions,” he said.

Negotiations must prevail

Without meaningful peace negotiations, Yemen’s humanitarian crisis will only deepen, Mr. Grundberg warned.

“A military solution remains a dangerous solution that risks deepening Yemen’s suffering,” he said.

He highlighted recent progress in Taiz governorate, where both parties agreed to jointly manage water supplies – a move that will provide safe drinking water to over 600,000 people.

This agreement also promotes sustainable water access, reducing reliance on humanitarian aid.

“While negotiations may not be easy, they offer the best hope for addressing, in a sustainable and long-term manner, the complexity of the conflict,” Mr. Grundberg said.

Call for international support

Mr. Grundberg called on the Security Council to continue prioritizing Yemen.

He also reiterated UN calls for all detained humanitarians, including UN staff, and called on donors to ensure sufficient funding to sustain aid organizations on the ground.

“Yemen’s future depends on our collective resolve to shield it from further suffering and to give its people the hope and dignity they so deeply deserve,” Mr. Grundberg said.