UNITED NATIONS (Dispatches) – The UN humanitarian chief has warned that Yemen suffers the worst food insecurity in the world and the ongoing conflict is worsening circumstances for a humanitarian response.
"Yemen faces the largest food security emergency in the world, and the worsening humanitarian outlook requires urgent action to reduce the likelihood of significant loss of life," UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Mark Lowcock told the Security Council, citing FEWSNet, a leading provider of analysis on acute food insecurity.
Lowcock revealed that, despite calls for the violence to stop, UN sources have observed nearly 800 separate incidents of shelling, armed clashes, or air strikes across Yemen, often with devastating consequences for civilians.
Meanwhile, the UN envoy for Yemen Martin Griffiths says the warring sides in Yemen are close to a deal on exchanging prisoners as a confidence-building measure ahead of the upcoming talks in Sweden, which both sides have promised to attend.
The United Nations has received firm assurances from the warring parties that they are committed to attending talks in Sweden, the UN envoy told the Security Council.
Griffiths said the UN intends to convene the Sweden talks very soon given the two sides’ "renewed commitment” to work on a political solution to end the war waged by the Saudi-led coalition in 2015 in a bid to push back the Houthi Ansarullah movement and restore to power former Yemeni President Abdrabbu Mansour Hadi, a close ally of Riyadh.
"With this in mind, I intend to reconvene the parties shortly and to do so in Sweden. I believe we are close to resolving issues to make this happen," Griffiths said.
"I have received firm assurances from the leadership of the Yemeni parties... that they are committed to attending these consultations. I believe they are genuine."
Griffiths plans to travel to the Yemeni capital of Sana’a next week to finalize arrangements and offered to travel with the Houthi delegation to Sweden after the Saudi-led coalition prevented the Ansarullah delegation from attending the peace talks.
According to the UN envoy, the Saudi-led coalition invading Yemen has agreed to "logistical arrangements" to pave the way for talks including medical evacuations out of Sana’a.
Griffiths announced he was close to reaching a deal on an exchange of prisoners and detainees, in a further confidence-building measure ahead of planned talks.
"This is a crucial moment for Yemen," he said, warning that a flare-up of fighting on the ground could derail the peace effort.
The Saudi-led coalition’s devastating war on Yemeni civilians has unleashed the world's worst humanitarian crisis.
Global pressure to end the Saudi-led military campaign in Yemen has grown following the killing by Saudi agents of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, which sparked global outrage.
Eight million people are affected by severe food shortages, according to UN officials, who warn that up to 14 million -- or half of Yemen's population -- are at risk of famine.
After a visit to Yemen, the head of the UN World Food Programme warned that the country faces a full-blown famine in about six months because of the economic collapse from the war.
"What I have seen in Yemen this week is the stuff of nightmares, of horror, of deprivation, of misery," David Beasley told the council. "Children are already dying."

The file photo shows malnourished Ferial Elias, 2, as she is being weighed at a malnutrition treatment ward at Thawra hospital in Hudaydah, Yemen, November 3, 2018.