Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Mark Lowcock speaks at the UN Security Council meeting on Yemen on July 28 (Photo: VNA)New York (VNA) – The UN Security Council expressedconcern over growing violations of the ceasefire in Yemen during its monthlymeeting on this Middle Eastern country on July 28.
Martin Griffiths, Special Envoy of the UNSecretary-General for Yemen, said attacks on civilian targets in Yemen haveclaimed a number of lives and hampered the UN Mission to Support the HodeidahAgreement (UNMHA) from fully performing its tasks.
Noting economic impacts of conflicts, he pointedout the depreciating currency, the risk of foreign exchange reserves runningout, and strong cuts to civil servant salaries, adding that the control ofships’ entrance into Hudaydah port hasn’t been eased, thus obstructing thetransportation of essential goods, medical supplies and humanitarian aid.
Meanwhile, Under-Secretary-General forHumanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Mark Lowcock noted theworsening humanitarian crisis in Yemen, especially amid increasinglyunpredictable developments of COVID-19 and the lack of transparency ininformation about infection cases in the areas controlled by the Houthis.
He voiced concern about violations in civilianprotection and the serious risk of food insecurity as a result of the strongreduction in sponsors’ donations this year. He also highly valued the US, theUK and the EU’s financial contributions to the settlement of those challenges.
Both Griffiths and Lowcock urged parties inYemen to continue complying with the ceasefire, protect women and children, andensure women’s participation in the political process.
They stressed that the UN will continue playingthe intermediary role to work with relevant parties to accelerate negotiationsso as to soon obtain a nationwide ceasefire.
They also called for more financialcontributions to resolve food insecurity and poverty, asking the Houthis torealise its commitment to allowing the UN technical mission to access the Safertanker to perform tasks.
At the meeting, members of the UN SecurityCouncil requested relevant sides to keep making efforts to implement theceasefire, voiced concern over attacks on civilians, and expressed support forthe sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Yemen.
They also emphasised the full implementation ofthe Stockholm and Riyadh agreements and appealed for more assistance for Yemento deal with the food insecurity risk and COVID-19.
Sharing the concern over recent conflicts inYemen, Ambassador Dang Dinh Quy, head of Vietnam’s permanent mission to the UN,showed support for the three-point peace plan submitted by the Special Envoy ofthe UN Secretary-General for Yemen.
He called on parties in and outside Yemen to quicklytake measures to obtain a nationwide ceasefire, facilitate humanitarianfacilities, and address the food insecurity risk.
The diplomat also underlined the obligation toprotect civilians, particularly women and children, urging for the seriousimplementation of the Stockholm and Riyadh agreements and continuation ofdialogue towards a comprehensive political solution with the UN acting as theintermediary./.
VNA
