UN’s Yemen envoy takes peace bid to Hodeida
hodeida — The UN envoy to Yemen on Friday urged warring sides to “keep the peace” in Hodeida, saying the Houthi militia agreed to talks on the UN taking a leading role in running the lifeline port.
Griffiths, who started a Yemen peace mission in rebel-held Sanaa on Wednesday, said he has discussed with the rebels “how the UN could contribute to keeping the peace” in the key port city of Hodeida.
“I am here to tell you today that we have agreed that the UN should now pursue actively and urgently detailed negotiations for a leading UN role in the port and more broadly,” he told reporters during his first visit to Hodeida.
“We believe that such a role will preserve the essential humanitarian pipeline that starts here and serves the people of Yemen.”
“The attention of the world is on Hodeida. Leaders from every country have called for us all to keep the peace in Hodeida,” he said.
Despite a lull in fighting, Hodeida residents reached by telephone said on Friday that Houthi rebels have been bringing in reinforcements. —
The best way forward towards a sustainable political process is to support the Sweden talks and the work of UN special envoy for Yemen without prejudging these negotiations
Dr Anwar Gargash, UAE state minister for foreign affairs
We have agreed that the UN should now pursue ... negotiations for a leading UN role in the port. We believe that such a role will preserve the essential pipeline that serves the people of Yemen
Martin Griffiths, UN special envoy
hodeida (yemen) — The UN envoy to Yemen on Friday urged warring sides to “keep the peace” in Hodeida, saying the rebels agreed to talks on the UN taking a leading role in running the lifeline port.
Martin Griffiths, who started a Yemen peace mission in rebel-held Sanaa on Wednesday, said he has discussed with Houthi rebel officials “how the UN could contribute to keeping the peace” in the key port city of Hodeida.
“I am here to tell you today that we have agreed that the UN should now pursue actively and urgently detailed negotiations for a leading UN role in the port and more broadly,” he told reporters during his first visit to Hodeida.
“We believe that such a role will preserve the essential humanitarian pipeline that starts here and serves the people of Yemen.”
“The attention of the world is on Hodeida. Leaders from every country have called for us all to keep the peace in Hodeida,” he said.
Griffiths was in the country ahead of planned peace talks in Sweden in December between the Iran-aligned Houthi rebels and pro-government forces backed by a Saudi-led coalition. Griffiths met rebel chief Abdulmalik Al Houthi and addressed “what can facilitate new discussions in December”, rebel spokesman Mohammed Abdelsalam said on Thursday.
Both warring sides have expressed support for the envoy’s mission to hold discussions.
Dr Anwar Gargash, UAE State Minister for Foreign Affairs, reiterated on Friday that the United Arab Emirates was “committed” to peace talks. “The best way forward towards a sustainable political process is to support the Sweden talks and the work of the UN Special Envoy for Yemen Martin Griffiths without prejudging these negotiations,” he said on Twitter.
Gargash added: The UAE as part of a coalition committed to upcoming Yemen peace talks in Sweden. Speaking to counterparts, we welcome growing consensus that in order to constructively support these talks, any new UNSC resolution needs to be used at the right time.”
Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi — whose UN-recognised government was pushed out of Sanaa by the rebels in 2014 — has also said he supports the talks while vowing to “liberate” the city of Hodeida.
Despite a lull in fighting, Hodeida residents reached by telephone said on Friday that Houthi rebels have been bringing in reinforcements.
Dozens of families have fled Hodeida, as the rebels stationed snipers on top of peoples’ homes, according to residents and pro-government military officials.
The UN’s World Food Programme said on Friday it had distributed 30,000 food baskets — each containing enough to feed a family of six for one month — in Hodeida city.
“In a city that has been enduring on and off bursts of fighting, these food baskets have an added benefit of helping families to avoid travelling more than necessary to find food, limiting their own security risks,” the WFP said in a statement.
“Despite the difficult situation, WFP is currently assisting eight million Yemenis every month with food or food vouchers.”