Ould Cheikh Seeks Support of Security Council

New York, Aden- The U.N. envoy for Yemen Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed said Monday before the U.N. Security Council that both Yemeni sides have rejected his roadmap; presented days earlier.

Ould Cheikh stated that he will immediately return to the region to try to clinch a peace deal in the coming weeks, asking the council and international community to support his plan.

Ould Cheikh presented earlier his plan to the rebels, Houthis and allies in Sana’a before moving to Riyadh to meet Yemeni President Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi. However, the latter rejected to receive the plan because its items were not based on the three references: the Gulf initiative, the national dialogue outcomes and the U.N. resolutions, namely 2216.

The U.N. envoy asked the Security Council to support his plan, insist on a prompt ceasefire and release captives. He said that he had been informed unofficially that the parties have rejected a proposed roadmap paving the way for a peace agreement and that he planned to head back to the region with the aim of reaching a detailed agreement based on his plan.

Illustrating the severity of the crisis, Ould Cheikh said that only 45 percent of the country’s health facilities remain functional and the medical situation has been further exasperated by the prohibition of commercial flights into Sana’a, meaning many are not able to travel overseas to receive treatment.

He highlighted that the worsening economic situation could further complicate the humanitarian crisis.

Yemen’s ambassador to the UN Khalid Al-Yamani, from his part, warned of regional intervention in the Yemeni affairs such as Iran’s intervention. Yamani stressed that the Yemeni government continued to welcome U.N. efforts to solve the crisis.

Ould Cheikh Seeks Support of Security Council