UN Webcast

Press Statement on the situation in Yemen issued by the Security Council and read by H.E. Mr José Filipe Moraes Cabral, Permanent Representative of Portugal to the United Nations and President of the Security Council for the month of November.

Press Statement:

On 28 November the members of the Security Council heard a briefing on the situation in Yemen from the UN’s Special Adviser, Jamal Benomar, and Deputy Director for OCHA's Coordination and Response Division, Philippe Lazzarini.

The members of the Security Council commended the efforts of the Gulf Cooperation Council and of the UN’s Special Adviser, Jamal Benomar. They welcomed the agreement by the parties, on the basis of the Gulf Cooperation Council initiative, as well as the signing of the initiative by the President of Yemen, and the signing by the parties of the implementation mechanism, thus beginning the period of peaceful transition of power, as called for in Security Council resolution 2014 (2011).

The members of the Security Council agreed that the Gulf Cooperation Council initiative and implementation mechanism must now be implemented in a serious, transparent, and timely manner, and in a spirit of inclusion and reconciliation.  They noted the Security Council's support for Yemen in its efforts to reach key milestones in the implementation plan and expected the parties to honour the timetable set out in the agreement, including the formation of a Government of National Consensus, Presidential elections within 90 days, a national dialogue, a constitutional review, and a programme of reforms that start to tackle the profound humanitarian, economic and security challenges that Yemen faces.

The members of the Security Council reaffirmed their commitment to the territorial integrity and unity of Yemen. They urged all the parties to reject violence, refrain from any further provocations, and to fully implement Security Council Resolution 2014. The members of the Security Council reiterated that all those responsible for violence, human rights violations and abuses should be held accountable. They deplored the violence on 24 November that reportedly led to five deaths in Sana’a. The members of the Security Council emphasised the need for increased and unimpeded humanitarian access to address the growing crisis. The members of the Security Council also called on all the Yemeni parties, to work with the increasing support of the UN, International Community, and the GCC countries, immediately towards achieving peace, stability and reconciliation, as well as alleviating the humanitarian and economic situation, in Yemen.

The members of the Security Council welcomed the efforts of the good offices of the Secretary-General and the dispatch of the UN electoral assistance mission. They reaffirmed their intention to continue to actively monitor the security, political and humanitarian situation in Yemen and the implementation of Security Council Resolution 2014. They looked forward to a further update on the situation within 30 days, including on the status of the implementation of the political transition agreements.