U.N. envoy to Yemen says Houdeidah port should be kept safe

Record ID: 876597

  • Title: U.N. envoy to Yemen says Houdeidah port should be kept safe
  • Date: 22nd May 2017
  • Summary: SANAA, YEMEN (MAY 22, 2017) (REUTERS) ****WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** VARIOUS OF UNITED NATIONS PLANE WITH SPECIAL ENVOY TO YEMEN, ISMAIL OULD CHEIKH AHMED ON BOARD STANDING AT SANAA AIRPORT AHMED GETTING OUT OF CAR AND BEING GREETED VARIOUS OF AHMED BEING GREETED AT ARRIVAL HALL AHMED SPEAKING WITH YEMENI OFFICIALS AHMED AND YEMENI OFFICIALS WAITING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE TO BEGIN (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) UNITED NATIONS SPECIAL ENVOY TO YEMEN, ISMAIL OULD CHEIKH AHMED, SAYING: "The first issue that I came for is to try to avoid in every possible way, the idea of a military operation on Hodeidah because the U.N.'s stance on this has been clear; that we don't want a military operation in Hodeidah because it would have many humanitarian repercussions and there could be many civilian victims. So we want to avoid this and try to find a solution between all sides to evade the possibility of such an operation. The second aim I want to focus on during this visit is humanitarian. You all know that the cholera epidemic has increased reaching more than 25,000 cases and there have been many deaths in less than two weeks." AHMED WALKING WITH YEMENI OFFICIALS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) UNITED NATIONS SPECIAL ENVOY TO YEMEN, ISMAIL OULD CHEIKH AHMED, SAYING: "The third and main point is the economic situation which is related to the salaries and the solution for the central bank. The central bank must remain independent and must belong to all the Yemeni people and salaries (must) reach all Yemenis. This is the goal of this visit and through you, the journalists, and through this visit, I want to send a message to the people of Yemen that we in the U.N. will remain neutral and our stance is to deliver peace to the Yemeni people." CONVOY WITH U.N. ENVOY LEAVING AIRPORT PROTESTERS TRYING TO BLOCK CONVOY'S ROUTE VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS WITH YEMENI FLAGS AND POSTERS SEPARATED BY SECURITY MILITARY VEHICLE ESCORTING CONVOY SIGN READING (English and Arabic): "SANAA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT"
  • Embargoed: 5th June 2017 17:13
  • Keywords: cholera outbreak in Yemen port Hodeidah U.N. envoy in Yemen military operation in Yemen
  • Location: SANAA, YEMEN
  • City: SANAA, YEMEN
  • Country: Yemen
  • Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace
  • Reuters ID: LVA0016HX9BNR
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:The United Nations' special envoy to Yemen said on Monday (May 22) he wanted to prevent any attack on the Houthi-held Red Sea port of Hodeidah and also called for the central bank's independence to be maintained to allow it to pay salaries on both sides of the conflict.
    Both aims have been the main conditions set by the Houthi group controlling the capital Sanaa for holding talks aimed at reaching a political settlement of the conflict.
    Hodeidah port and province is controlled by the Iran-aligned Houthis and has been the entry point for 70 percent of Yemen's food supplies as well as humanitarian aid.
    Aid groups and humanitarian organisations have been saying that a military operation there would put millions of civilians at risk.
    Cholera outbreak has already killed at least 200 people in Yemen in recent weeks, and the authorities declared a state of emergency in Sanaa, calling for international help.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2017. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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