In a statement released late on Tuesday afternoon, the 15-member Council reaffirmed its call on Yemeni parties to attend the talks and engage “without preconditions and in good faith,” including by resolving their differences through dialogue and consultations, rejecting acts of violence to achieve political goals, and refraining from provocation and all unilateral actions to undermine the political transition.

Expressing deep disappointment that the UN-backed consultations, previously scheduled to take place in Geneva on 28 May, did not take place, the Council also emphasized that the inclusive dialogue must be a Yemeni-led process and urged all parties “to resume and accelerate” them with the intention of brokering a “consensus-based political solution.”

In addition, the statement noted that the Council members reiterated their full support for the efforts of the UN and the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General and further called on Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to “intensify” his good offices role in order to enable a resumption of “a peaceful, inclusive, orderly and Yemeni-led political transition.”

The ongoing political and security tensions have further aggravated Yemen's humanitarian crisis and food shortages with currently 12.5 million food insecure people in the country – some 2 million more than when the fighting began.