From Beijing to Tokyo... Grundberg is on a mission to unify the Security Council's position on Yemen
English - Wednesday 31 May 2023 الساعة 10:13 am
Aden, NewsYemen, exclusive:
After his visit to China, at the end of last week, the UN envoy to Yemen, Hans Grundberg, left directly for the Japanese capital, Tokyo, where he held talks there, on Monday, with Japanese officials on supporting the United Nations peace plans in Yemen.
In China, according to the official website of the UN envoy to Yemen, Grundberg met with the Director General of the Department of International Organizations and Conferences, Shen Bo, Deputy Director Sun Li, and Deputy Director of the Department of West Asia and North Africa of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China, Cai Weiming. Meetings The official characteristics of the Chinese officials participating in it indicate that the nature of Grundberg's visit bore the nature of mobilizing political and financial support for his upcoming agenda in the path of strengthening the armistice and advancing peace consultations, and mainly, reassuring the unified position of the five permanent members of the Security Council regarding the situation in Yemen, where The official website of the envoy's office stated that this visit "comes in the context of Grundberg's work with international stakeholders, including the five permanent members of the Security Council, to support coordinated international support for Yemenis in order to achieve lasting development and peace."
More explicitly about his visit to Beijing, Grundberg said: "Continued Security Council unity on Yemen is essential, not only now and in the near future, but also in the long term as Yemenis make their way to peace and recovery."
China has recently been strongly present in the tense regional scene in the Middle East by sponsoring a Saudi-Iranian rapprochement last March, a rapprochement that was reflected in the situation in Yemen in the context of Saudi Arabia's intention to end its war, which it started in partnership with the United Arab Emirates against the Houthi militia. - Iran's arm in Yemen, eight years ago.
Although the war of the Arab coalition led by Saudi Arabia and the UAE against the Houthi militia did not achieve the declared goal in 2015 to restore the legitimate government to the top of power in the Republic of Yemen and end the militia coup, the Kingdom has been seeking since the beginning of this year to achieve a political settlement that ends the war situation between it and the Houthis on the one hand, and to propose A settlement formula between the Houthis and the warring parties with them in the legitimacy camp.
Theoretically, Saudi Arabia's efforts to end the war fall within the context of successive United Nations envoys seeking to achieve a formula for a political settlement between the parties to the conflict. With the developments of the war in its ninth year, Grundberg hopes that the Saudi efforts will serve his mission to achieve what his former colleagues failed to do. And because China, which brought together Saudi Arabia and Iran, is able to influence both countries, Grundberg may also hope that China will push towards moving the peace negotiations stuck in the thorny local and regional complications.
What about Japan?
In Tokyo Grundberg met with Japan's Parliamentary Deputy Foreign Minister Kei Takagi and other senior government officials
According to the official website of the Office of the UN Envoy to Yemen, Grundberg's discussions with Japanese officials dealt with "the ongoing efforts to support the parties to reach an agreement for a nationwide ceasefire and the resumption of an inclusive and comprehensive political process under the auspices of the United Nations." The UN envoy also thanked Japan for its unwavering support to the United Nations in terms of mediation and humanitarian support efforts in Yemen, and for the important role it plays in the Security Council. He stressed the need to continue and strengthen international advocacy to reach a sustainable political settlement that ushers in a future of lasting peace and development. ".
In the same context, Grundberg described the current situation in Yemen as "critical," and said, "The parties have a responsibility to build on the progress made and take serious steps to move towards a lasting peace." Referring to his main mission in his Asian tour, he said, "The consistency of the international community's efforts and the unity of its objectives with regard to Yemen are pivotal factors in this regard."
Although Japan is not one of the five permanent members of the Security Council, since January 2023 it occupies a seat in the non-permanent membership among five countries elected by the United Nations General Assembly in June 2022, along with Ecuador, Malta, Mozambique and Switzerland, and this membership lasts for two years. On the other hand, Japan is one of the main donors to the projects and activities of the United Nations in Yemen, in addition to being one of the most prominent countries that have relations of strategic interests with Yemen.
