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No sustainable military solution to end Yemen war; compromise only way forward: UN envoy

“We all know that ending it will not be easy, but I firmly believe that it is possible,” Hans Grundberg said.

Published: Wed 16 Feb 2022, 2:20 PM

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  • Anjana Sankar

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Hans Grundberg, Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen, briefs the Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East. —Photo: UN

Hans Grundberg, Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen, briefs the Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East. —Photo: UN

There is no sustainable military solution to the Yemen conflict and dialogue and compromise is the only way forward to end the sufferings of the Yemeni people, the UN’s new special envoy to Yemen, Hans Grundberg, has said.

“Trust is low and ending this war will require uncomfortable compromises which no warring party is currently willing to make,” he told the Security Council.


Despite the challenges, he said he will start engaging with multiple stakeholders in Yemen including political parties, civil society and political and economic experts to find an inclusive political settlement for a sustainable ending the war that has pushed millions into extreme poverty and hunger.

“We all know that ending it will not be easy, but I firmly believe that it is possible,” the envoy told the Security Council while assuring it of his resolve to find a peaceful solution to the protracted conflict.

Grundberg also warned the Council that the recent Houthi attacks on civilian targets in Abu Dhabi that killed three people make it “obvious to everyone just how high the stakes have become.”

“The attacks on United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia indicate how this conflict risks spiralling out of control unless serious efforts are urgently made by the Yemeni parties, the region and the international community to end this conflict,” he said.

The envoy said he is developing a framework with a multi-track process that can produce durable solutions to the conflict while seeking immediate de-escalation. Ensuring inclusivity and including women will be an important aspect of these consultations, he added.

Iran-backed Houthi rebels have been attacking civilian targets in Saudi Arabia using drones and missiles. The UAE that is part of the Saudi-led Colaition forces in Yemen also came under the Houthi attack recently when the rebel group launched missiles and drones to destroy oil depots and part of the Abu Dhabi airport.

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Meanwhile, the UAE ambassador to the UN, Lana Nusseibeh launched a scathing attack on the international community’s appeasement of Houthis that launched terrorist attack on the UAE soil.

“What we heard in UNSC today confirms the continued paralysis of the political process in Yemen under the UN leadership. Following Houthi terrorist attacks in the UAE that claimed the lives of innocent civilians, we can only ask: When will the appeasement of this terrorist group end?” she asked the UN Security Council meeting at the New York headquarters on Tuesday.



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