Photo taken on April 18, 2020 shows destroyed buildings in Haradh District in Hajjah province, Yemen. On April 8, the Saudi-led Arab coalition announced a two-week cease-fire in Yemen. But military operations and sporadic attacks are still taking place between Yemen's government forces and the Houthi rebels in different areas of the impoverished Arab country. (Photo by Mohammed Alwafi/Xinhua)
UNITED NATIONS, April 17 (Xinhua) -- The Security Council on Friday asked for a nationwide cease-fire in Yemen after recent positive developments in the country.
"The members of the Security Council called on the Houthis and government of Yemen to engage constructively with (UN) Special Envoy Martin Griffiths' proposals for a nationwide cease-fire, confidence-building measures, and the restart of the political process, with a view to reaching agreement on these as soon as possible," said the council in "press elements" after Thursday's meeting on Yemen.
The council members also underlined the vital importance of humanitarian and economic measures and access to those in need to alleviate the suffering of the Yemeni people, which are especially important in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The members of the Security Council endorsed UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' March 25 call for an immediate cessation of hostilities in Yemen in the context of a possible outbreak of COVID-19, and voiced concern about the ongoing hostilities, according to the press elements.
They welcomed the announcement of a unilateral cease-fire by the Saudi-led military coalition, which is fighting the Houthis in Yemen. They welcomed the Yemeni government's positive response to the cease-fire call, and called on the Houthis to make similar commitments without delay.
In briefings to the Security Council, Griffiths asked the warring parties to seize the opportunity for peace while Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Mark Lowcock warned that the United Nations will have to close 31 of its 41 aid programs in Yemen in a few weeks unless there are more funds. Lowcock also rang the alarm over Yemen's economy.
