UN Special Envoy for Yemen Says Disappointed by STC Plan for Self-Rule in South

UNITED NATIONS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 28th April, 2020) UN Special Envoy for Yemen Martin Griffiths said in a statement on Monday he is disappointed by the announcement made earlier by the separatist Southern Transitional Council (STC) to establish self-rule in regions under their control.

"The latest turn of events is disappointing, especially as the city of Aden and other areas in the south have yet to recover from flooding and are facing the risk of COVID-19 [the novel coronavirus disease]," Griffiths said.

In the early hours of Sunday, the Aden-Based STC movement, created by the rebels back in 2017, introduced self-governance in the country's southern provinces, declaring a state of emergency there and tasking armed forces with implementing it. Nonetheless, several southern provinces refused to support the council's decision.

Griffiths called on all actors in Yemen to cooperate and expedite the implementation of the peace agreement, signed in Riyadh in 2019, between the government and the STC and aimed at finding a political solution to the armed conflict.

The Riyadh agreement also envisioned that the separatists should return the previously seized facilities and state institutions in Yemen's south to the government.

"Now, more than ever, all political actors must cooperate in good faith, refrain from taking escalatory actions, and put the interests of Yemenis first," the special envoy added.

Earlier on Monday, the Saudi-led Arab coalition, fighting in Yemen against the Houthi rebels, also urged STC to abandon actions that lead to increased tensions and immediately return to the implementation of a peace agreement. Egypt has supported the coalition's statement.