United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday called on the Yemeni (llgitimate) government and the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) to implement the Riyadh agreement signed on November 5 and focus efforts on tackling the Corona virus that causes the disease (Covid 19).
"The Secretary-General is following with concern the developments on the ground in southern Yemen. He urges all relevant stakeholders to exercise maximum restraint and refrain from any actions that would further escalate the situation.", said Stephane Dujarric, a spokesman for the United Nations Secretary-General, on the organization's website. ".
According to Dujarric, The Secretary-General calls on all to engage in an inclusive dialogue to resolve their differences and address the legitimate concerns of all Yemenis, including those of southern groups. He further calls on them to implement the Riyadh Agreement as well as concentrate efforts on countering the spread of COVID-19 and responding to the flooding that has affected tens of thousands of Yemenis."
The Secretary-General of the United Nations stressed the need to preserve the integrity of Yemeni institutions and emphasizes that the conflict in Yemen can only be resolved through a negotiated political settlement.
Saturday midnight, the STC announced state of emergency and autonomy in Aden and other southern provinces, effective from Sunday dawn, citing the stalled application of the Riyadh pact.
The Saudi-brokered Riyadh Agreement was inked on 5 November 2019, between the Yemeni UN-recognized government and the UAE-backed STC, in Riyadh.
