UN-led consultations on Yemen to take place on June 15 in Geneva

The UN-led Geneva Consultations on Yemen, or Yemen Consultations, is set to begin on Monday, June 15, in Geneva, Director of Information Service of UN at Geneva Ahmad Fawzi confirmed on Friday.

According to Fawzi, the consultations will be the first of its kind to involve the different sides of the Yemeni conflict since hostilities resumed, thus marking an important step as the parties embark on the road towards a settlement.

The consultations were previously scheduled to begin on Sunday, but due to unforeseen circumstances, one of the Yemeni delegations can't arrive in Geneva on time so the event was postponed to Monday.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, and his Special Envoy for Yemen, Ismail Ould Chiekh Ahmed, will meet with the Yemeni delegations Monday in Geneva.

"The UN hopes that the Consultations could create a new dynamic to build confidence between Yemeni actors and yield concrete benefits for the population, especially reduced violence and increased access to humanitarian aid and basic services," said Fawzi.

On Sunday, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will arrive in Geneva and meet the Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council and the Group of Sixteen Ambassadors in the afternoon.

The members of the "Group of Sixteen" refers to the Ambassadors of China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, the United States, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Egypt and Turkey, as well as the Gulf Cooperation Council and the European Union.

Though there are 18 members but the Group still goes by the name Group of Sixteen (G16).

The UN chief is also expected to address the press at a stakeout on Monday morning after the beginning of the Consultations.

Consultations between the Special Envoy for Yemen and the parties will then remain closed for the remainder of the process. Endit