SECURITY COUNCIL PRESS STATEMENT ON YEMEN

On 31 August 2016, the Security Council received a briefing on the situation in

Yemen from the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen, Ismail Ould
Cheikh Ahmed.

The members of the Security Council recalled previous resolutions 2014 (2011), 2051 (2012),
2140 (2014), 2201 (2015), 2204 (2015), 2216 (2015), and 2266 (2016) and presidential
statements of 15 February 2013, 29 August 2014, 22 March 2015 and 25 April 2016.

The members of the Security Council expressed their continued support for and commitment
to the work of the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen, Ismail Ould Cheikh
Ahmed, in bringing the parties to negotiations with a view towards swiftly reaching a final
and comprehensive agreement to end the conflict in Yemen, following on from previous
Security Council resolutions and statements.

The members of the Security Council urged the parties to resume consultations immediately
without preconditions and in good faith with the UN Special Envoy on the basis of his
proposal for a comprehensive agreement covering both security and political issues. The
members of the Security Council stressed to all parties that any new political arrangements
should be the result of an agreement following negotiations under UN auspices, and not the
result of unilateral actions by any side.

To support consultations of the Special Envoy, and avoid further loss of life, the members of
the Security Council urged all parties to recommit to and fully respect the terms and
conditions of the Cessation of Hostilities entered into on April 10, which will include a
complete halt to ground and air military activities. The Council called on all sides to resume
working through the De-Escalation and Coordination Committee to facilitate the
strengthening of the Cessation of Hostilities.

The members of the Security Council reiterated their strong concern about intensified
terrorist attacks, such as that which took place in Aden on 29 August, including by Al-Qaida
in the Arabian Peninsula and the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (also known as Daesh),
and encouraged all Yemeni parties to avoid any security vacuums that can be exploited by
terrorists or other violent groups. The Security Council stressed that a political solution to the

crisis is essential to address, in a durable and comprehensive manner, the threat of terrorism
in Yemen.

The members of Security Council noted the devastating humanitarian impact of the conflict,
which has resulted in a large number of dead and wounded, on the Yemeni people and
emphasized that the humanitarian situation in Yemen will continue to deteriorate in the
absence of a peace agreement that leads to a durable solution to the conflict. The Security
Council called upon all sides to comply with international humanitarian law and to take
urgent measures to improve the humanitarian situation. The members of the Security Council
further called on all parties to allow safe, rapid, and unhindered access for humanitarian
supplies to all affected governorates and to facilitate access for essential imports of food, fuel,
and medical supplies into the country and their distribution throughout.

The members of the Security Council reiterated their strong commitment to the unity,
sovereignty and territorial integrity of Yemen.
8 September 2016