• Grundberg said the beginning of his tenure should be used as a moment to reassess responsibilities
• He condemned the Houthis for their continued advance on Marib in which thousands of Yemenis have lost their lives

Arab News

NEW YORK: The UN and the international community has a “shared responsibility” to end the conflict raging in Yemen, the UN special envoy for the country said on Friday.

Delivering his first briefing to the Security Council in his capacity as the new UN special envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg said that the beginning of his tenure should be used as a moment “to reassess our respective responsibilities.”

“The initiatives from Yemen’s neighbors and members of the Security Council in support of the UN’s efforts have been appreciated and will need to be continued,” Grundberg warned.

The Swedish diplomat said his first consultations with Yemeni, regional and international actors “will soon start,” and that he will “shortly travel to Riyadh to meet with President Hadi and other members” of the Yemeni government.

Grundberg said he also looked forward to meeting with the Houthi leadership and “other Sanaa based actors, as well as other political actors throughout Yemen.”

He added that he and his team are prepared to spend as much time in Yemen and with Yemenis as possible.

“I will return to the Security Council each month to reflect frankly and openly on these discussions. And I will seek your tangible and coordinated support to take my mandate forward,” he added.

Grundberg said that he would also meet with regional leaders in Riyadh, Muscat, Abu Dhabi, Kuwait, Tehran, Cairo and elsewhere as part of his efforts to achieve peace in Yemen.

He condemned the Houthis for their continued advance on Marib “in which thousands of young Yemenis have lost their lives.”

He added that the UN and the international community has been clear in urging the militia to stop the offensive.