Delivering his final briefing for the year, Hans Grundberg noted that 2024 was marked by immense turmoil and tragedy across the Middle East region, where far too many people – including in Yemen – have endured profound loss due to violent conflicts.

“With the last months’ dramatic developments in Lebanon and Syria, it should be obvious to all that the Middle East is in urgent need of stabilization. This includes Yemen,” he said.

Pathway to peace

In Yemen, Government forces, who are backed by a Saudi-led coalition, and Houthi rebels, have been fighting for over a decade.  The country is among the top humanitarian crises in the world and economic deterioration is deepening.

Furthermore, following the start of the war in Gaza, the Houthis – also known as Ansar Allah – have been firing on commercial ships plying the Red Sea and even launched missiles and drones at some Israeli cities.

Mr. Grundberg recalled that Yemen has taken several positive steps in recent years, namely the UN-brokered truce agreement in 2022, two major exchanges of conflict-related detainees, and commitments made last year by all sides to advance peace efforts under a UN roadmap. 

He said these actions “demonstrate that diplomatic engagement by the UN, regional powers, and international actors, remains the most effective pathway to achieving sustainable peace.” 

‘Capitalize on these moments’

The UN envoy stressed the critical need for the parties, the region, and the international community to “capitalize on these moments in order to not miss the chance to take clear steps towards peace,” otherwise the suffering of the Yemeni people will continue.

He said ending the war is a choice that remains within reach of the warring sides.

“I urge the parties to actively engage with my efforts on the roadmap, which would deliver a ceasefire, economic measures such as the sustainable payment of salaries, and preparing for an inclusive political process,” he said.

“I firmly believe this is still possible. However, swift action is imperative if they wish to alleviate the suffering of Yemenis and restore hope for a peaceful future.”

Detentions continue, along with Red Sea attacks

Mr. Grundberg also reiterated his call for the immediate and unconditional release of UN staff and other humanitarian, civil society, diplomatic and private sector personnel who have been arbitrarily detained by the Houthis for six months now.

He said Houthi activity in the Red Sea, and attacks on Israel, remain ongoing, and the United States and the United Kingdom continue to launch airstrikes in response.

“These developments, which have persisted over the course of the year, have shrunk the space for my mediation efforts,” he said.

“I will encourage all involved to take the necessary steps to create a conducive environment for the conflict in Yemen to be resolved. Failure to do so will only encourage those who call for a return to war.”

Fragility in Yemen

Meanwhile, the fragile situation within Yemen persists along multiple frontlines, with ongoing flare ups. This includes recent escalations in eastern Ta’iz, and a drone attack on a crowded marketplace that killed six people and seriously wounded many more.

“Such incidents underscore the urgent need for a ceasefire agreement,” he said, adding that his Office continues to engage with military and security officials from both sides.

Commit to peace

Mr. Grundberg said he continues consultations with a wide spectrum of Yemeni society, which includes holding a dialogue series with political parties and co-sponsoring the 7^th Feminist Summit, held in Aden.

He also reported on his recent engagement with Yemeni and international stakeholders in numerous locations.

“In all those engagements, I carried the same message: a peaceful resolution in Yemen is possible, and continuing international unity and support towards that goal is essential,” he said.

“Only through a shared commitment and decisive action can we create and maintain an environment conducive to effective mediation and realize the sustainable, inclusive and just peace that the Yemeni people have yearned for and rightly deserve.”

Millions in need: UN relief chief

The Council received an update on the dire humanitarian situation in Yemen, where 19.5 million people are in need, up from 18.2 million at the beginning of the year.

In his first briefing to ambassadors, newly appointed UN Humanitarian Coordinator Tom Fletcher said 2024 has been “a deeply challenging year” for the country, with ongoing conflict, regional escalation, a deepening economic crisis and increased threats to the safety and security of aid workers.

“Attacks from and on Yemen have risked damage to vital seaport infrastructure; endangered the flow of essential food, fuel and other imports on which millions of Yemenis depend; and threatened an unprecedented oil spill,” he said.

At IOM’s Migrant Response Point in Aden, migrants receive the cholera vaccine as part of a nationwide effort to tackle the outbreak.

Struggling to survive

He noted that in Government-controlled areas, the Yemeni currency has hit successive record lows as oil and gas exports remain obstructed. In some locations, food costs have risen by nearly 30 per cent compared to last year.

Furthermore, basic services have faltered, and families are increasingly turning to alternative ways to survive, including child marriage.

He highlighted other challenges, including a cholera outbreak that has affected more than 200,000 people, and flooding that displaced more than half a million.

Meanwhile, humanitarians have faced funding cuts which have forced vital programmes to close. Still, they have supported an estimated 7.8 million people this year despite the obstacles.

“Above all, we will stay and deliver support to address human suffering whenever and wherever it is found, based on need alone,” he said.

Keep lifelines open

Mr. Fletcher appealed for the Council to ensure humanitarian lifelines in Yemen are protected in conflict.

He urged ambassadors to use their influence to secure full respect for international law, which includes ensuring critical infrastructure is spared.

“It is particularly critical that Yemen’s Red Sea ports remain operational and available for imports – they are lifelines for millions of people,” he said.

 He called for the full support for humanitarian funding, as $2.5 billion is required to reach more than 10 million people across Yemen.

“Finally, Special Envoy Grundberg must be backed to secure a lasting resolution to the conflict in Yemen. This is essential to ending the decade-long cycle of humanitarian suffering,” he concluded. 

Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen is engaging with all parties who have a stake in the political future of the country “on the way forward” towards a peaceful and Syrian-led transition, the UN chief António Guterres said on Wednesday.

The Secretary-General stressed there were clear “signs of hope” for the future.

The world owes it to the Syrian people to listen, to act and to work tirelessly toward a future where such horrors can never recur

In his statement, Mr. Pedersen focused on the extraordinary images and stories emerging from the newly liberated prisons of the former regime.

“Despite extensive documentation and testimonies, they only scratch the surface of the carceral system’s horrors,” he said.

‘Decisive, compassionate action’

“These images are a profound testament to unspeakable suffering and pain beyond comprehension endured by those detained, their families, and their loved ones.

Now is the time for “decisive, compassionate action”, he continued, urging the international community and all concerned parties to provide support to families of those missing and detained.

This includes medical care, psychological support, legal assistance, and safe shelter.

Meanwhile, all evidence of the crimes committed in Syria’s detention centres must be secured “to aid families in their search for justice and accountability.”

“We must prioritise accounting for the missing, ensuring that families receive the clarity and recognition they desperately need…Justice for the victims and their families is not only a right but also essential for healing and for preventing further violations.”

Combined effort

Mr. Pedersen also called for the humanitarian needs of those freed to be prioritised with “countless” Syrians still being held arbitrarily within the country’s borders by various groups across the war-shattered country.

“They must be immediately released,” he said, calling for all parties to cooperate with specialised UN bodies such as the Independent Institution on Missing Persons (IIMP), the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism (IIIM) and the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria (CoI), together with relevant international and national bodies.

“The world owes it to the Syrian people to listen, to act, and to work tirelessly toward a future where such horrors can never recur,” he concluded.

Chemical weapons watchdog preparing mission to Syria

The UN-backed Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) is preparing to send a team of experts to Syria “as soon as the security situation allows it,” the weapons watchdog said on Thursday.

That’s one of the conclusions from an emergency meeting held following a request from OPCW Director-General, Ambassador Fernando Arias.

In his opening remarks, he reminded the Council that Syria under the Assad regime has never declared its full weapons programme despite their use on multiple occasions during the long civil conflict.

“In the past days, the Secretariat has been closely monitoring the situation in Syria,” said Director-General Arias.

Still volatile

“The political and security situation in the country remains volatile…The ultimate goal is to achieve the complete elimination of Syria’s chemical weapons programme, and to take part in the process of the international accountability of the former Syrian government and any other identified perpetrators.” 

The process began 11 years ago when Syria first acceded to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC).

The OPCW Technical Secretariat, through its Declaration Assessment Team (DAT), has been working over the years to address gaps, discrepancies, and inconsistencies in Syria’s initial declaration and the issue has been regularly addressed in the UN Security Council.

Mr. Arias said Syria now needs “to come into full compliance and, at last, fulfil all its obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention, relinquishing what is left of its chemical weapons programme.”

Following the decision by the Security Council to mandate Syrian chemical weapons inspections, an OPCW team prepared to leave for Syria on Monday 30 September 2013 (file photo).

WFP scaling up aid

Meanwhile on the humanitarian front, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) is scaling up food assistance programmes across Syria to reach an estimated 2.8 million displaced and food-insecure people, the emergency food agency announced on Thursday.

The spillover from years of civil conflict and months of fighting in neighbouring Lebanon and Israel – stemming in turn from the Israel-Hamas war – meant the country was already deeply destabilised before the regime was deposed by the de facto authorities in Damascus.

“During this critical time for Syria, WFP teams are on-the-ground ensuring that the country’s most vulnerable people receive the urgent food assistance they need,” said Country Director in Syria Kenn Crossley.

Faltering economy

“Right now, commercial supply routes are compromised, food prices are soaring, and the Syrian currency is depreciating. Essential items such as rice, sugar and oil are in short supply and bread prices have spiked, making it critically important that we scale-up our efforts to assist during this winter season.”

WFP urgently needs $250 million in the next six months to buy and deliver food assistance for up to 2.8 million displaced and vulnerable.

The agency has one of its largest country operations already in place across Syria, spanning seven offices. This presence has enabled WFP to quickly scale-up over the past two weeks, providing daily ready-to-eat rations, food baskets, fresh and hot meals, to nearly 70,000 displaced people in hard-hit areas.

Food distributions and hot meal services provided by WFP pre-crisis have already resumed for displaced people in Homs, Aleppo, Raqqa and Al-Hasakah, after days of instability and unrest.

Nearly 14 years of war have left many Syrians in a vulnerable state; some 12.9 million people were food insecure at the start of 2024, including three million severely food insecure.

“Food aid is not only a lifeline for ensuring nutritional needs are met during a crisis,” stressed Mr. Crossley, “it’s a reassuring presence that lets communities know they are not alone in what can feel like a very vulnerable, and isolating moment in their lives.”