UN envoy concerned by fight for key Yemen port
The UN envoy for Yemen, Martin Griffiths, said on 5 June that he was ‘very concerned’ over fighting for the rebel-held port of Hodeida, as government forces close in on the main gateway for aid into the war-torn country.
Griffiths told reporters in the capital Sanaa: ‘Apart from the avoidable humanitarian consequences of such a battle, I am also very concerned about the impact (on) chances of a political settlement of this conflict.’
Griffiths on 5 June wrapped up a three-day visit aimed at brokering negotiations between Saudi-backed loyalist forces and Huthi rebels.
The envoy, appointed to the post in February 2018, told reporters at Sanaa airport that the talks had been ‘positive’ but warned of the impact of the Hodeida fight on civilians.
Griffiths said: ‘We are working very hard, focusing every day on moving forward in the political process. My aim is to restart negotiations which have not taken place for a very long time – for too long – and I want that to restart in the very near future.’
Griffiths is due to report to the Security Council on 18 June on his peace efforts.
Multiple rounds of UN-brokered talks between Yemen’s Iran-backed Huthi rebels and the country’s government, allied with Saudi Arabia, have failed.
The Huthis seized control of the capital in 2014, driving the government south and sparking an intervention the next year by a military alliance led by Saudi Arabia.
More than 22 million people are now in serious need of aid, with 8.4 million on the brink of starvation, according to the United Nations.
The world body considers the situation in Yemen the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.
The conflict has left nearly 10,000 people dead in what was already the Arab world’s poorest country.
More from Defence Notes
-
![Ukraine turns legacy Kongsberg land turrets into semi-autonomous USV weapons]()
Ukraine turns legacy Kongsberg land turrets into semi-autonomous USV weapons
The company told Shephard that Ukraine is operating modified Protector weapon stations originally supplied for armoured vehicles, with human operators authorising engagements from hundreds of kilometres away.
-
![UK urged to prioritise sea, air and space over heavy armour]()
UK urged to prioritise sea, air and space over heavy armour
A report from the Council on Geostrategy argues the UK should move away from a traditional balanced force and shift investment to naval, air and space capabilities, backed by a larger fleet of attack submarines and deeper AUKUS integration.
-
![Thales: deployment speed to determine winners in ‘production versus production’ era]()
Thales: deployment speed to determine winners in ‘production versus production’ era
At its technology summit in London, attended by Shephard, Thales UK examined the importance of speed to delivery, the growing focus on cross-domain capabilities and how procurement reform could be crucial for future battlefield advantage.
-
![Orchestrating operational readiness across every defence domain]()
Orchestrating operational readiness across every defence domain
Are all systems ready for the next mission? Have upgrades been applied? Are all assets aligned to deploy together, on time and fully prepared? In modern defence operations, readiness is no longer measured platform by platform. It is measured by how well people, assets, data and decisions move together — across land, sea and air.
