UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 14 (Xinhua) -- The UN envoy for Yemen told the Security Council that a "robust and competent monitoring regime" is essential and urgently needed for implementing the ceasefire reached for the Yemeni governorate of Hodeidah.
The Yemeni government and the Houthi rebels agreed on the truce as well as mutual withdrawals of forces from both the three Hodeidah ports and the city in their recent negotiations in Sweden, marking the first breakthrough for the UN-led intra-Yemeni rounds of talks.
"The United Nations is asked to monitor the compliance of the parties to these commitments. I am sure this council will want to address this requirement," said Martin Griffiths, the special envoy of the UN secretary-general for Yemen, in his video briefing from Amman of Jordan.
"At the instruction of the secretary-general, relevant departments in New York (UN Headquarters) and elsewhere are already active on the planning for urgent deployment subject to the decisions of this council," he added.
Diplomats said such a monitoring mechanism requires the support of a Security Council resolution.
The Yemen conflict started in 2014 when the Houthis took over the capital Sana'a. Since 2015, a Saudi-led military coalition backing the government has been fighting the Houthis.
The fighting has caused the world's largest humanitarian crisis, where, according to the UN, some 20 million people are starving.
As the port of Hodeidah handles some 70 percent of the food supplies to Yemen, the international community has long been calling for de-escalation of hostilities around the port.
"The council has for months called for just such an agreement; I believe we now have it," Griffiths said.
Besides the Hodeidah truce, during the eight-day Sweden meeting, the two warring parties agreed on a UN role in managing three vital ports, including the port of Hodeidah.
"The UN will take on a leading role in supporting Yemen Red Sea Ports Corporation in management and inspections at Hodeidah, Salif and Ras Issa," said the UN envoy.
He expects future consolations to finalize the opening of Sana'a airport and the measures needed to improve the operations and reach of the Yemeni central bank.
Looking ahead, he said the next round of talks, set for the end of January, will discuss his framework for a political solution to the conflict, adding the Houthis "are in agreement with the general tenor of all its elements" while the government has some reservations.
"In this way we hope to move from the essentially humanitarian theme of Sweden to a first serious consideration of the issues that need to be addressed if this conflict is to be resolved," he noted.
