Secretary-General Announces Consultation Initiative on Resuming Yemen Transition
The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon:
The Secretary-General is pleased to announce the launch of inclusive consultations starting on 28 May in Geneva to restore momentum towards a Yemeni-led political transition process.
This initiative, bringing together a broad range of Yemeni governmental and other actors, follows extensive consultations by the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, as well as strong expressions of support by the United Nations Security Council in resolutions 2014 (2011), 2051 (2012), 2140 (2014), 2201 (2015) and 2216 (2015) for a peaceful and Yemeni-led political transition process. In particular, in resolution 2216 (2015), the Security Council emphasized the need for the return to the implementation of the Gulf Cooperation Council Initiative and its Implementation Mechanism and the outcomes of the comprehensive National Dialogue Conference and reaffirmed its full support for, and commitment to, the efforts of the United Nations to re-launch the political dialogue.
The Secretary-General urges all the participants to engage in these United Nations consultations in good faith and without pre-conditions. The only durable resolution to the crisis in Yemen is an inclusive, negotiated political settlement. During the Comprehensive National Dialogue Conference, the different political and social constituencies of Yemen came together to chart a course for democratic change and a new vision for the country. Tragically, Yemen has now slid into a conflict that risks spilling across its borders and that is having a dramatic impact on civilians, who are paying the highest price.
The United Nations has worked closely with Yemenis since 2011 to support national aspirations for change. With this experience and coupled with Yemen’s tradition of dialogue, the Secretary-General hopes these consultations will help Yemen re-launch the political process, reduce the levels of violence and alleviate the intolerable humanitarian situation.