15 February 2015
Ban Ki-moon urges international support to end crisis in Yemen
Amid a dangerous political and humanitarian crisis and a seething secessionist movement, Yemen sits on the brink of collapse, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned the Security Council, reminding the international community of its ‘solemn obligation’ under the UN Charter to help the country prevent an escalation of the conflict and re-launch its political process.
‘We cannot stand by and watch,’ the Secretary-General warned, adding that recent developments now threaten regional and international peace and security. ‘Given these troubling circumstances, we all have a solemn obligation to live up to our commitments under the UN Charter,’ he continued. ‘We must do everything possible to help Yemen step back from the brink and get the political process back on track.’
The Secretary-General appealed to all members of the Council to work closely with regional and international partners to help de-escalate tensions in the Gulf country and ‘pave the way for a peaceful way forward through political negotiations’.
UN Special Adviser on Yemen, Jamal Benomar, said: ‘Either the country will descend into civil war and disintegration, or the country will find a way to put the transition back on track’. ‘This largely depends on the political will of Yemeni leaders. They all bear responsibility for the current state of affairs, as well as responsibility for finding a way to pull the country from the brink.’ He continued: ‘Despite all the setbacks … The Yemenis can still make it. The Security Council and the international community have a responsibility to support them in these difficult times.’