Aden (South24 Center)

The UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, concluded a two-day visit to Aden on Wednesday, July 2, during which he met with Yemeni Prime Minister Salem bin Braik, along with representatives from civil society and women leaders of political parties and components.

The UN special envoy arrived in Aden on June 30 evening from Amman, Jordan.

According to a statement from his office, during his meetings in Aden, the discussions focused on developments in the Yemeni file and UN efforts to revive the stalled political process.

During his meeting with the Yemeni Prime Minister, the UN envoy emphasized the need to advance a Yemeni-led political path with regional support. He noted that resolving the conflict requires abandoning a war mentality and adopting accountable leadership and credible measures toward a long-term settlement.

The meeting also addressed urgent economic priorities, including enabling the government to resume oil and gas exports, as part of efforts to curb economic deterioration.

Grundberg welcomed recent progress in opening the Al-Dhalea road, stressing that facilitating movement and transportation represents both a humanitarian and economic necessity.

The envoy also called on the government, per his statement, to form a “joint inclusive negotiation delegation” in preparation for future talks. He also reaffirmed the UN's continued diplomatic engagement to secure the release of personnel detained by the Houthis.

“All stakeholders have a responsibility to move Yemen from a status of 'no war no peace' towards a long-term settlement through credible actions, accountable leadership, and a genuine commitment to peace," Grundberg noted.

For its part, the Yemeni Prime Minister's office published a series of tweets on X, affirming the government and Presidential Leadership Council's commitment to the peace process and support for all UN, regional and international efforts, based on the three reference points foremost being UN Resolution 2216.

The Yemeni government in a statement noted that the meeting with the UN envoy addressed the Houthi militia's continued detention of UN staff and international organization workers, and obstruction of relief efforts, describing these actions as blatant violations of international humanitarian law.

The Prime Minister noted that the success of any political approach to achieving peace in Yemen requires addressing the roots of the conflict – represented in ending the Houthi coup and realizing the militia’s destructive approach to the security and stability of Yemen, the region and the world.

In a separate meeting, the UN envoy heard perspectives from civil society representatives and partisan women's groups regarding the peace process and the economic-social challenges He reiterated the UN's commitment to ensuring that diverse Yemeni voices participate in the comprehensive settlement process.

The UN envoy’s Aden visit coincided with diplomatic meetings held in Riyadh between ambassadors from several countries and members of Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council.

In a separate context, the Houthi government's Foreign Minister in Sana'a sent a letter to the UN Security Council containing a series of claims that contradict internationally recognized frameworks for resolving the Yemeni crisis, foremost among them UN Resolution 2216.

According to a statement published by the Houthi-controlled Saba News Agency today, the Houthis called in the letter for Yemen’s seat at the United Nations to be granted to their government and demanded participation in the monthly briefings delivered by UN Special Envoy to Yemen, Hans Grundberg.