UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will propose to the Security Council on Wednesday the deployment of up to 75 monitors to the Yemeni ports of Hodeidah, Saleef and Ras Isa, backed by additional administrative and security staff.
He outlined the proposal in a letter to the council seen by AFP after the legitimate government and Iran-backed Houthi militias agreed to a truce during talks in Sweden last month.
The international observers would "monitor the compliance of the parties to the ceasefire in Hodeidah governorate and the mutual redeployment of forces from the city of Hodeidah and the ports of Hodeidah, Saleef and Ras Isa," according to the document.
The United Nations is proposing to bring the sides together again for a new round of talks later this month, probably in Kuwait, said AFP.
The proposed mission "would contribute to sustaining the fragile political process recently relaunched by the special envoy," said Guterres in his proposal.
"This would provide important support for the special envoy´s efforts to facilitate an inclusive political process with the aim of reaching a negotiated settlement that will bring about a permanent end to the conflict in Yemen."
Once the council endorses the proposal, diplomats would begin negotiations on a draft resolution to formally establish the mission.
The United Nations has deployed a small team of about 16 international monitors to Yemen, led by Dutch general Patrick Cammaert, under a resolution adopted last month that backed the Stockholm agreement.
The council is expected to take action before the mandate of that advance team expires on January 20. Cammaert would also head the new observer mission, according to the proposal.
UN envoy Martin Griffiths warned Wednesday that "substantial progress" was needed to advance peace efforts in Yemen before new talks can be held on ending the war.
Addressing the Security Council, Griffiths said he was still "hopeful" that negotiations to follow up on the Sweden ceasefire deal will be held "in the near future."
