Hans Grundberg also warned that rising regional tensions risk dragging Yemen back into broader confrontation.
“I ask this Council to remain united in supporting a credible path back to a political process, and I urge regional actors to align around the same purpose and to use their influence in a coordinated way to steer Yemenis toward engagement,” he said.
A ‘fragile’ situation
Since 2014, Yemeni government forces, who are backed by a Saudi-led coalition, and Houthi rebels have been fighting for full control of the fractured country.
The internationally recognised authorities are largely based in the southern city of Aden while the Houthis, officially known as Ansar Allah, control the capital Sana’a and large areas of the north and west.
In recent months, forces affiliated with a separatist group in the south have advanced on more territory.
Mr. Grundberg briefed from the Saudi capital Riyadh, where he held talks with Yemen’s newly appointed Prime Minister Shaya al-Zindani and members of the Presidential Leadership Council.
He highlighted early positive signs in government areas, including improvements in the provision of electricity and payment of public sector salaries, and commended the appointment of three women cabinet ministers.
“However, continued tensions, recent security incidents and demonstrations, where in some cases violence and loss of life has been reported, underscore the fragility of the situation,” he said.
‘Protect recent gains’
He told the Council that the new cabinet “can protect recent gains by anchoring them in strengthened institutions and economic reforms”.
Furthermore, a planned southern dialogue offers an opportunity to begin addressing long-standing grievances and build consensus on issues important to the region’s people and all Yemenis.
Mr. Grundberg said that stabilisation in any part of the country will not be durable if the broader conflict is not addressed comprehensively.
“It is high time to take decisive steps in that regard,” he said. “Without a wider negotiated political settlement to the conflict, gains will continue to remain vulnerable to reversal.”
The way forward
The UN envoy has been engaging with the warring parties, regional actors and the international community to explore ways to restart an inclusive political process in Yemen.
His office has also held consultations with a diverse group of Yemenis, leading to three takeaways.
The first calls for acknowledging what more than a decade of war has done to Yemen. Although the conflict has become more complex, the common objective has remained steady and firm.
“Yemen needs an inclusive political process under UN auspices to reach a negotiated political settlement that can sustainably end the conflict, but getting there requires that the parties adopt a forward-looking approach,” he said.
Restarting a political process will require engagement across political, economic and security issues in tandem “without making engagement in one track contingent on progress in another”, he added.
The third point calls for a credible process that enables near-term agreements that reduce suffering and demonstrate progress. At the same time, space must be created for negotiations on longer-term issues, including the future shape of the State, security arrangements and principles of governance.
Free detained staff
The Special Envoy also used the briefing to reiterate his call for the unconditional release of scores of UN personnel who have been arbitrarily detained by the Houthis.
Currently, 73 staff are locked up, along with representatives from civil society and diplomatic missions.
“Many have been held incommunicado, with serious concerns about their conditions and wellbeing. Some have been referred to Ansar Allah’s special criminal court, which is proceeding with trials that fall far short of basic due process,” he said.
He noted that this week marked a year since a staff member with the World Food Progamme (WFP) died while being held and no investigation has taken place.
Houthis storm UN offices
A senior official with the UN aid coordination office, OCHA, updated the Council on the humanitarian situation in Yemen.
“As we have said in this Council before, these detentions of humanitarian workers are having a profound impact on operations,” Lisa Doughten, director of OCHA’s financing and outreach division, told ambassadors.
She reported that the Houthi de facto authorities entered multiple UN offices in Sana’a on 29 January “without permission, commandeering equipment and vehicles”.
They also continue to withhold clearances for UN Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) flights to Marib, though flights to Sana’a resumed over the weekend following a month-long suspension.
Millions in need
The “interference and impediments” are happening when 22.3 million people – half the population – need humanitarian assistance this year, or nearly three million more than in 2025.
Around 18 million face food insecurity, making Yemen the region’s most severe hunger crisis. It is also the country with the largest number of people experiencing emergency food security conditions, some 5.5 million.
