UN rejects Saudi condition for envoy to Yemen in exchange for humanitarian aid

The UN has denied media allegations about Saudi Arabia setting conditions for its relief efforts in Yemen. It is claimed that Riyadh donated more than $275 million to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Yemen in exchange for the appointment of Mauritanian-born Ismail Bin Al-Sheikh Ahmed as the new envoy of the international organisation to Yemen to replace Jamal Ben Omar.

At a news conference at UN headquarters in New York, Farhan Haq, the deputy spokesman for the Secretary-General, said that the reports were “false”. Haq also denied allegations that Ben Omar’s resignation came against the backdrop of a media campaign waged against him in the Gulf.

“Mr Ben Omar gave his resignation to the UN Secretary-General after he was made aware that he would no longer be able to work with the various factions there in full capacity,” Haq insisted. Ben Omar announced his resignation on 16 April after overseeing the political transition process in Yemen for four years.

In response to a question about how the new envoy to Yemen, Ismail Bin Al-Sheikh Ahmed, plans to deal with the Yemeni community and the Houthi presence, Haq said that he will “conduct negotiations with all parties to the crisis in order to reach a peaceful solution.” Ahmed is also scheduled to visit a number of Yemen’s larger cities, said the UN spokesman, although they were not named.