UN Special Envoy Martin Griffiths Remarks to the Press

1 Apr 2018

UN Special Envoy Martin Griffiths Remarks to the Press

Sana’a International Airport, 31 March 2018 -  I just completed my first visit to Sana’a as Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen.  This trip follows a visit to Riyadh where I met with the Government of Yemen. I am very pleased to have received such a warm welcome from so many Yemenis and I am very grateful to have met all of the key political leaders in Sana’a and Riyadh in the last few weeks.

I spent time listening to the parties and to representatives from a broad range of political parties and gatherings about their aspirations to end the war. What I have heard has inspired me and gives me hope that we can find a path to peace. All the people I met, both in Riyadh and Sana’a, spoke about their strong desire to move ahead with a political solution. There is no doubt of a desire for peace, and I will work hard with the parties to achieve it.

Over the coming months, I intend to visit Yemen regularly and continue to listen to Yemenis. I will visit Aden and Mukallah next week and will be back in Sana’a and Riyadh in the course of April. I very much look forward to building upon the new relationships I have established these past weeks and to meeting more Yemenis across the board. These relationships will help lay the foundations of a peaceful end to this war.

It is difficult to spend time in Yemen without appreciating the great suffering this war has caused. This week has been no exception. It spurs us to work harder to find a political solution and give hope to Yemeni families.

Thank you once again for the warm welcome.