UN Yemen envoy concludes Cairo talks on Yemen escalation, regional repercussions

UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg concluded a three-day visit to Cairo on Wednesday, holding talks on the military escalation in Yemen and its regional repercussions.

In a statement, Grundberg’s office said the envoy met Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Fahmy during the visit.

The talks addressed “the recent escalation in Yemen and its regional repercussions, including in the Red Sea, as well as UN efforts to end the conflict sustainably,” the statement said.

Grundberg expressed his “appreciation for the continued support provided by Egypt and the Arab League to the mediation efforts led by the United Nations,” according to the statement, which provided no further details.

Grundberg arrived in Cairo on Monday as part of UN diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the military situation in Yemen, according to an Anadolu correspondent.

Clashes have continued since July between government forces and the Houthis on several fronts, including in Taiz, Lahj, Marib, Al-Jawf and Al-Bayda provinces, marking the widest escalation since a relative lull began under an April 2022 truce.

The recent escalation ended the relative calm and displaced around 180,000 people, while thousands fled to Djibouti, according to UN and government figures.

Yemen has been mired in conflict since the Houthis seized Sanaa and several provinces in 2014, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene in 2015 in support of Yemen’s internationally recognized government.

Fighting intensified in September, with the Houthis taking control of several key areas in Al-Hudaydah and Taiz provinces, including the strategic city of Mokha, and reaching Mayyun Island overlooking the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.