Houthis, the primary obstacle to peace efforts in Yemen

Following weeks of a military escalation that has stretched beyond Yemen’s borders into the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, US Special Envoy Timothy A. Lenderking  stressed that the conflict could spiral out of control.

Houthis are Still Obstructing Efforts Towards Peace, the Key Representative Said, Reaffirming Country’s Commitment to Political Settlement

He described plans for a new, multitrack framework aimed at moving the warring parties closer to a political settlement, as he briefed the Security Council.

Martin Griffiths, Under-Secretary-General for the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, echoed the Special Envoy’s concerns about the last six weeks of sharp and dangerous escalation. 

More than 650 civilian casualties were reported in January, by far highest toll in at least three years. “The war is finding people in their homes, schools, mosques, hospitals and other places where civilians should be protected,” he said, also voicing concern over the intensification of cross-border attacks.

Several condemned recent attacks by Ansar Allah, or the Houthis, on civilian facilities across the region. They warned against the continued appeasement of the Houthis, a group that refuses to engage cooperatively with the Special Envoy and his team.

Yemen’s representative said that while his Government continues to engage with the Special Envoy, the Houthis have refused to meet with him, obstructing efforts towards peace. 

Spotlighting Iran’s interference in Yemen and across the region, he said that country has violated the Council-imposed arms embargo, hijacked a United Arab Emirates-flagged cargo ship and used ballistic missiles and drones to attack Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. 

Against that backdrop, he echoed calls on the global community to impose more pressure, including sanctions, and to support Yemen through more streamlined donor funding.