WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, joined other senior UN officials, Mr. Stephen O’Brien, UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, Mr. Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen and José Graziano da Silva, Director-General of the Food and Agricultural Organization to brief the UN Security Council on the dire cholera situation in Yemen.
In his first address to the Council via video link, Dr Tedros outlined the on-going logistical challenges and UN system-wide efforts to provide medical treatment, safe drinking water and adequate sanitation to the Yemeni people. He called on the Council to accelerate the peace process, to bring an immediate end to this conflict and to ensure the protection of civilian infrastructure such as water, sanitation and health facilities in accordance with International Humanitarian Law. He also pleaded with Member States to provide political and financial support for longer-term recovery and development.
Read the statement by WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus