UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg on Thursday stressed the need for a comprehensive negotiated political settlement of the Yemen crisis that will be able to address a whole range of issues. “Looking forward, a comprehensive negotiated political settlement is needed to end the violence once and for all. Critical political, security and economic priorities will need to be addressed,” he told the Security Council in a briefing.
A comprehensive political settlement should aim at restoring and reuniting state institutions and pave the way for economic recovery and development. In order to sustain peace in the long term, the need for accountable governance, justice and accountability, and the rule of law cannot be ignored. Nor can the promotion and protection of Yemenis’ full range of human rights,
he said. “I will continue my consultations with Yemenis and others on the way forward toward an inclusive political settlement. Let us not fool ourselves, this will be a laborious and complicated task that will take time but it must take place,” said Grundberg. He said that, in his conversations, Yemenis without exception stressed the necessity to end the war. They also highlighted the urgency of addressing economic and humanitarian concerns, including stabilizing the economy, improving the delivery of basic services, and facilitating freedom of movement within as well as in and out of the country.
Yemenis of all perspectives also acknowledged that their country cannot be effectively ruled by one group alone and that a durable peace will require pluralism. The Yemenis expressed their concerns about the long-term consequences of the conflict. They see a systematic erosion of their fundamental rights as well as state institutions.
They are worried about a whole generation of children traumatized by war and lacking in basic education. Since the onset of the conflict, civilian infrastructure has been damaged, and repair is likely to take decades. Ending the war is, therefore, only a first, but an essential step in a long recovery that includes healing societal wounds that are deepening with each day the conflict continues, he said. Enditem