Grundberg admits that his peace efforts in Yemen have faltered due to the war in Gaza

The UN envoy to Yemen, Hans Grundberg, acknowledged in a briefing to the Security Council on Thursday that the peace efforts he is leading between the Yemeni government and the Houthis have faltered due to the war in Gaza and the related regional escalation, stressing that he will continue to work with "unwavering determination."

Grundberg spoke about the passage of more than 100 days since the Houthis began a campaign of arrests targeting Yemenis engaged in essential efforts including humanitarian assistance, development, human rights, peacebuilding, and education, renewing the clear calls of the Secretary-General and the High Commissioner for Human Rights for the Houthis to immediately and unconditionally release all detainees.

He said that his main goal, under these difficult circumstances, remains to mediate a permanent and just solution to the conflict in Yemen, but he regretted that the ongoing war in Gaza, and the related regional escalation, complicate these efforts.

The envoy warned of an unprecedented environmental disaster in the Red Sea, saying: “A particularly worrying development recently is the Houthi targeting of the Greek oil tanker (MV Sounion), which forced the crew to abandon the ship. This is an imminent threat of a serious oil spill and an unprecedented environmental disaster,” calling on the Houthis to stop attacking commercial ships.

The UN envoy to Yemen indicated that there had been no improvement in the military situation since his last briefing to the Security Council, as worrying military activities were observed on the front lines in Marib, Shabwa, Taiz, Al Dhale and Lahj, in addition to escalating rhetoric between the conflicting parties.

He explained that he would continue to work with "unwavering determination" and specifically said that his office would work to assist the Yemeni parties in implementing the understanding reached on July 23 regarding de-escalation in the banking sector and Yemenia Airlines, by continuing to communicate with the relevant representatives.

Grundberg said the agreement had helped avert a severe crisis, however, he warned that the current situation was unstable and that the economic conditions of the majority of Yemenis continued to deteriorate.

He said his office was preparing to hold further consultations with political parties and civil society to advance a vision for a comprehensive peace process in Yemen, and said these consultations had so far included hundreds of Yemenis.

On the occasion of the International Day of Peace, which falls on September 21 of each year, the envoy stressed the shared responsibility to prioritize peace and enhance stability in Yemen, saying: “This is not just a symbolic occasion; it is a call to action. The Yemeni people deserve the peace they have long awaited.”

Despite the many challenges facing UN envoy Hans Grundberg, he stressed that he remains committed to his conviction that achieving lasting peace in Yemen can only be achieved through continuous and focused engagement on core issues such as the economy, a nationwide ceasefire, and a comprehensive political process.