The Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, concluded today a visit to Cairo where he met the Egyptian Foreign Minister, Sameh Shoukry, and the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, Ahmed Aboul Gheit. They discussed the importance of a stable Yemen for the region, and the shared responsibility of the region’s countries to prevent further escalation in Yemen. They also discussed the need to support Yemenis to reach a negotiated political settlement to end the conflict.

Mr. Grundberg also met with a diverse group of Yemeni women and men including parliamentarians, representatives of political parties, civil society organizations and media professionals. Participants stressed the need to de-escalate violence and highlighted the impact of the deteriorating economy on the lives of civilians. Mr. Grundberg consulted Yemeni interlocutors on ways to start an inclusive political dialogue that includes the parties’ demands in a broader Yemeni agenda of political, economic and security priorities.

“Piecemeal approaches will not result in a sustainable solution. There needs to be equal focus on immediate priorities that mitigate the impact of the war on civilians, and on the longer-term questions needed to reach a durable and just solution to conflict,” Mr. Grundberg said.

Discussions in Cairo also included recent military developments in Yemen, including in Hudaydah, and the worsening humanitarian situation. Mr. Grundberg highlighted that the sustained offensive on Ma’rib has already resulted in ripple effects across Yemen, and it continues to undermine the prospects of a negotiated settlement to the conflict.

“There is no sustainable military solution to the conflict in Yemen. All warring parties need to de-escalate violence and prioritize the interests of civilians over scoring military wins,” Mr. Grundberg said.