UN’s envoy for Yemen calls on Houthis to halt assault on Marib

Martin Griffiths, UN’s special envoy for Yemen. (Reuters/File)

• Martin Griffiths concluded a two-day visit to Cairo during which he urged international cooperation to get Yemen back on path to peace
• The UN has launched a humanitarian air service to Marib but warned of a $2.5 billion shortfall in funding for desperately needed aid

NEW YORK: The UN’s special envoy for Yemen, Martin Griffiths, on Tuesday called on the Houthis to halt their attack on Marib. He warned of the dire humanitarian consequences the continued assault is having and the risk it poses to the fragile peace process.
He was speaking at the end of a two-day visit to Egypt, during which he reiterated the importance of regional and international cooperation to get Yemen back on the path to peace.
In Cairo, Griffiths met Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry and Secretary-General of the Arab League Ahmad Abul Gheit. He updated them on his ongoing attempts to achieve a nationwide ceasefire in Yemen, alleviate the suffering of people in the country and revive efforts to negotiate a political settlement of the conflict.  
He also held a series of meetings with representatives of Yemeni civil society, women’s groups and political parties, during which he called called on everyone to “prioritize the needs of the Yemeni people, stop fighting and engage seriously with the UN’s efforts.”
Griffiths also reiterated this during a virtual meeting with Sultan Barakani, the speaker of the Yemeni parliament, when he urged all parties “to agree on a ceasefire and confidence-building measures.”
Fierce fighting continues in Yemen’s Marib governorate. According to the UN, nearly 20,000 people have been displaced by the violence in the region since early February, and many people have been killed and injured.
Meanwhile, the UN launched a regular humanitarian air service to Marib on Tuesday.
“This will cut the journey down to two hours from seven and will help the humanitarian community to deliver quickly much-needed assistance,” said Farhah Haq, deputy spokesman for Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
However, he warned that the 2021 humanitarian response plan for Yemen is only 34 percent funded, with just $1.32 billion received of the $3.85 billion required.
“The UN and its partners urgently need more support to sustain the life-saving response in Marib and across Yemen,” Haq added.