The special adviser to the UN Secretary-General to Yemen Jamal Benomar presented its report on Yemen to the UN Security Council during a meeting held on Friday night at the UN headquarters in New York. Following is the text of the report. Report of the Secretary-General pursuant to Security Council resolutions 2014 (2011) and 2051 (2012) Madam President, Excellencies, 1. Following one month in Yemen on my twenty-third mission, I have just returned to New York in order to address this Council. I left Sana’a in the middle of facilitating talks on the Southern Question – a thorny issue on which agreement has proved elusive thus far. It is paramount to underscore to this Council that the transition process in Yemen has reached a critical juncture. While the historic National Dialogue Conference is on its way to conclude its work with far-reaching recommendations to guide Yemen’s future course, the country is facing serious political, economic, humanitarian and security challenges, and key issues are yet to be resolved. 2. Nevertheless, there are achievements to be celebrated in Yemen. The National Dialogue Conference – the first-ever exercise of its kind in Yemen, indeed the region – has given rise to a peaceful, inclusive and meaningful dialogue amongst diverse actors, bringing in new actors to the political process such as youth, women, civil society representatives, Ansar Allah (Houthis) and the Hiraak Southern Movement. The Conference has not only provided the opportunity for delegates from previously marginalized groups to participate in serious and deliberative discussions about the future of Yemen, but also has convened former parties to conflicts to negotiate solutions and address historical grievances in order to move towards a brighter and democratic future for all Yemenis. 3. The Dialogue has made extraordinary progress since it was launched on 18 March. The 565 delegates, representing a wide cross-section of Yemeni society, have over the past six months, engaged in constructive, open and substantive deliberations on the key challenges facing the country. The focus on principal and controversial issues relevant to Yemen’s governance have laid the foundation for a new social contract, as well as a legal framework based on dignity, equality, human rights and the rule of law. In fact, the work of the National Dialogue is nearly 90 per cent completed. Six of the nine Working Groups have completed their work. 4. Taken together, the recommendations developed during the Dialogue provide a blueprint for building a more peaceful, just and prosperous Yemen. They include measures to ensure more open, accountable governance; greater participation of women in decision-making; and improved protection of human rights. Indeed, last week my team supported a conference entitled “Women Partners in Dialogue, Partners in Building and Decision Making,” during which I had the opportunity to meet with the women’s caucus and they informed me of their satisfaction in achieving key objectives in the National Dialogue. Important among these are acknowledgment of and protection for women’s human rights; integration of these rights in the new constitution to ensure equality; and a guarantee for 30 per cent women’s representation in three branches of government. This is quite extraordinary, particularly in a part of the world that suffers from an evident deficit on women’s rights and gender equality. 5. In particular, the efforts of the Working Groups on Sa’ada and the South have helped to identify the roots of conflicts and the grievances of the people affected by war in those parts of the country. This will allow the State to mitigate the conditions that gave rise to past conflicts and to redress the grievances that emerged out of them. In fact, the Sa’ada Working Group has reached agreement on some 70 conclusions and related implementation guarantees. 6. All the delegates deserve praise for their hard work, dedication and tireless efforts to achieve the objectives of the National Dialogue. I wish to pay special tribute to the contributions of the delegates representing youth, women and civil society, whose energy, creativity and enthusiasm in many ways served as the engine that propelled the Dialogue forward. The inputs and ideas put forth by countless citizens throughout the country – through their participation in town hall meetings, public discussions and through the media – also contributed greatly to enriching the Dialogue process. Madam President, 7. It is, however, important to recall that the Conference is but one step in the transition. The National Dialogue was never intended to resolve all of Yemen’s challenges. It was designed as part of a wider and longer-term political transformation process. As this Council is well aware, there have been delays in implementing the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Initiative and Implementation Mechanism (Transition Agreement), which have impacted the already-tight timeframe. This is a result of a combination of the fact that some tasks simply took longer than foreseen, and the fact that there have been acts of obstruction at times. 8. Consequently, the timetable has inevitably shifted. Only several months remain to complete work that has taken other countries years. The work includes completing the National Dialogue, drafting and adopting a new constitution, and organizing and conducting general elections. All this implies complex negotiations, technical preparations and public consultations with a view to building consensus. What is more vital is that progress continues to be made by achieving the milestones of the transition laid out in the Implementation Mechanism. 9. The difficulties facing the National Dialogue Conference in its waning weeks have underscored the imperative of addressing the Southern Question in a fair manner. In recent weeks, the Hiraak Southern Movement suspended their participation in the Conference for nearly a month, contending that their legitimate grievances and aspirations were not being adequately addressed. Indeed it is beyond contention in Yemen that the South has suffered nearly two decades of discrimination and marginalization. However, the Hiraak were persuaded to return to the National Dialogue, following additional commitments by President Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi and the Government to speedily implement confidence-building measures in the South. In this context, the Hiraak and other constituencies agreed to negotiations to resolve the controversial issues of state structure and the status of the South. 10. Since 10 September, I have been facilitating, at the request of the parties, talks aimed at finding a consensual solution to the Southern Question. Throughout these discussions, I have stressed that the Yemenis are the decision makers. They are the ones that will live with the longterm consequences of the choices they are about to make. I am pleased to report that progress is being made, based on the various proposals put forward by the different constituencies, towards agreeing on a set of principles with a view to building a new federal state structure, although discussions continue with regard to the number and delineation of the federal units. Consensus has been sought on a number of delicate issues, including with regard to natural resources, power-sharing, and allocation of authority to federal, regional and local levels. 11. The commitment of Southerners to supporting the new vision of a federal Yemen is largely contingent on timely and unambiguous action by the Government to redress past injustices, and on guarantees that there will be no return to the past. Toward this end, it is essential that the outstanding elements of the confidence-building measures (known as the 20+11 Points) be implemented without delay and, insofar as implementation depends on longer-term processes, that the timeline for their implementation is clearly articulated. 12. In this connection, I welcome the action plan of the Government of National Unity, led by Prime Minister Mohamed Salim Basendwa, to implement the 20+11 Points, its apology to the people of the South and Sa’ada for past abuses committed in their respective conflicts, as well as the continuing work of the two commissions to address the unlawful or illegitimate seizure of land and property and the unjust dismissals from the military and civil service in the South. I am particularly pleased that Qatar has pledged $350 million to support restitution and compensation claims for the South, which comes at a critical time. I sincerely hope other countries will follow suit. Madam President, 13. The recent difficulties encountered in the National Dialogue must not be allowed to jeopardize the gains achieved thus far. These gains must be preserved and forward momentum maintained with a timely move to the next stages of the transition. The final phase of a political process of this nature and magnitude is rarely easy, as parties reach the stage where they must make tough decisions on sensitive and complicated issues, and the National Dialogue is not immune from this phenomenon. Unfortunately, as the Council is aware, there are efforts to turn back the clock, which undermines the confidence in the political transition. In this connection, continued compromise and goodwill is required from all parties. 14. There are potentially disruptive currents percolating in the country. At this stage, however, I am hoping that all stakeholders will cooperate in good faith to bring about a fruitful conclusion to the National Dialogue, and that it will be unnecessary for me to brief this Council to the contrary. As affirmed in resolutions 2014 (2011) and 2051 (2012), all parties must adhere to resolving their differences through dialogue and consultation, to reject acts of violence to achieve political goals, to refrain from provocations and to cooperate in the implementation of the Transition Agreement. By signing the Transition Agreement, the parties recognized that a peaceful transition should represent a complete break with the past and a complete transfer of power to new governance in Yemen. 15. Given the emerging consensus on federalism, there is increasing debate amongst Yemenis about the need for what they are calling now a “constituting period,” or an establishment period, to provide the necessary time with clear benchmarks, resources and capacity for the transition to a federal state. Indeed, some parties have developed proposals for such a “constituting period,” focusing on the need for more inclusion and power sharing. These debates also have raised questions about the timing and character of elections. 16. It bears repeating that the National Dialogue Conference was never designed to address all of Yemen’s challenges all at once. The Conference was meant to conclude with broad agreement on a set of principles on nine core topics that would provide guidance for the constitution-drafting process, which is another step in the transition. Some issues will require work beyond the National Dialogue through auxiliary negotiation tracks that are genuinely inclusive and that run in parallel to the constitution-drafting process. Moreover, other issues will still need to be addressed through subsequent legislation, and government policies, plans and programmes. 17. To sum up, the National Dialogue Conference is not a panacea or an end in itself, but rather a vehicle through which Yemenis can lay the foundations for more inclusive politics, agree on broad principles and initiate processes for resolving long-standing conflicts. It appears that some do not wish to conclude the National Dialogue until all the details concerning the post-Conference follow up and “constituting” arrangements and future federal state structure are clarified and agreed. In my view, it is important to take these matters step-by-step, with the priority being to conclude the National Dialogue. The people of Yemen look forward to this outcome to ensure that the transition process advances. Madam President, 18. These political developments are transpiring against a backdrop of serious humanitarian, economic and security challenges. The people of Yemen have high expectations of their peaceful transition, yet today, about 13 million people – more than half the entire population – require some form of humanitarian aid. Many of the drivers of vulnerability in Yemen, such as poverty, chronic malnutrition, water shortages and lack of government services stem from a lack of development. The Government of National Unity should be supported in its efforts to address the underlying causes of the humanitarian crisis and tackle the serious underdevelopment in the country. I would like to take this opportunity to welcome the Presidential Decree to establish the Anti-Corruption Board and for approving an action plan to eliminate “ghost workers” and “double dippers.” 19. The security situation remains volatile in parts of the country, and Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) remains a major threat. Just in the last week, AQAP carried out major attacks in Shabwa governorate, resulting in dozens of deaths. Assassinations of senior military officers and kidnappings continue to take place. 20. In the North, scores of people have been reported killed in recent weeks as a result of clashes between opposing armed groups in Sa’ada and Amran governorates. We are closely monitoring this trend and are engaged with the principal actors. 21. The relentless campaign against public infrastructure continues. There have been frequent acts of sabotage and attacks on infrastructure facilities, electrical cables and oil and gas pipelines, which have increased and amplified. All this has cost the Government hundreds of millions of dollars. The Yemeni people are demanding that those responsible for such criminal acts be brought swiftly to justice. Madam President, 22. Nevertheless as I have said before, and deserves repeating: to date, Yemen remains the only negotiated, peaceful country in transition amongst those of the Arab Spring, and its National Dialogue Conference is the most genuine, transparent and inclusive deliberative process the Arab region has ever witnessed. This model of dialogue and deliberation to establish democratic governance based on the will of the people can inform other transition processes in the Arab world and beyond. This is a remarkable achievement for which the Yemeni people should take pride, as they have shown the Arab world what is possible when people commit to peaceful change. 23. In conclusion, it is imperative that the National Dialogue Conference concludes in order to advance the transition process. Much credit must go to President Hadi, who has demonstrated a persistent and unwavering commitment to guide and to see through to conclusion the political transition, despite all the odds. He deserves all our support. The world is watching Yemen to see whether it will follow through on the promising path on which it has set out. Once the National Dialogue Conference concludes, implementation of the agreements reached will present other challenges. In this context, one consistent message that I heard during my last mission is that Yemenis count on the Security Council to continue its unanimous support as they move into the next stage. 24. The strong, sustained support of the international community and, in particular the Gulf Cooperation Council, the European Union, the Friends of Yemen and the Security Council, has been instrumental. I would like to pay tribute to the leadership role of Dr. Abdullatif Al-Zayani, Secretary-General of the GCC. I also would like to thank the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, co-chair of the Friends of Yemen, for being the first and largest donor to deliver on its pledges. I wish also to thank the active diplomatic community in Sana’a for their efforts. Yemenis are counting on the international community to continue its unified support for their country. As the United Nations, we will continue to provide expertise, facilitation and advice, as necessary and in close cooperation with our partners, to support a successful transition in Yemen.