The US special envoy for Yemen will head to Gulf capitals and the United Kingdom this week to reinforce peace efforts, the State Department said on Wednesday
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 19th January, 2022) The US special envoy for Yemen will head to Gulf capitals and the United Kingdom this week to reinforce peace efforts, the State Department said on Wednesday.
"U.S. Special Envoy for Yemen Tim Lenderking will travel to Gulf capitals and London starting January 19 to reinvigorate peace efforts in coordination with the UN, senior regional government officials, and other international partners," the press release said. "The Special Envoy and his team will press the parties to de-escalate militarily and seize the new year to participate fully in an inclusive UN-led peace process."
Lenderking will also address the urgent need to mitigate both the humanitarian and economic crises in Yemen, according to the State Department.
"As the UN Acting Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator briefed the UN Security Council last week, 16 million people in Yemen desperately need aid totaling about $3.9 billion," the release noted. "It is imperative that donors, especially regional donors, provide additional funding and that all parties to the conflict take steps to improve humanitarian access and address Yemen's fuel crisis."
Yemen's conflict between government forces and the Houthis has been going on since 2014. The situation in the country was further complicated after Saudi Arabia joined the conflict on the side of the Yemeni government in 2015, launching air, land and sea operations against the rebel Islamist movement.
