A spokesperson for the United Nations stated on Friday that Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, the Crown Prince and Minister of Defense of Saudi Arabia, has requested a meeting with Ban Ki-moon, the Secretary-General of the organization. This request comes amid recent controversies surrounding the temporary removal of the Saudi-led coalition from the blacklist of child rights violators. According to Reuters, a UN official mentioned that the Crown Prince and Minister of Defense of Saudi Arabia will travel to New York next week and has requested a meeting with Mr. Ban Ki-moon for the following weekend. Stephane Dujarric, the UN spokesperson, confirmed that they have received the official request for a meeting from the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia. Dujarric added that there has been no response yet to the letter from Abdullah Al-Maallami, Saudi Arabia's representative to the UN, sent on June 8, requesting the Secretary-General to disclose the sources of the report that placed the coalition on the blacklist. The UN spokesperson had previously stated that the organization is not willing to disclose the sources of this report. Ban Ki-moon reported on June 14 that the Saudi-led coalition was responsible for the killing and injuring of 60% of children in Yemen last year. According to this report, 510 children were killed and 667 injured in attacks by the Saudi-led coalition in 2015. The UN Secretary-General's report specified that half of the targets hit by the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen were schools and hospitals. However, a UN spokesperson announced on June 18 that following Riyadh's proposal, the name of the Saudi-led coalition would be temporarily removed from the list of child rights violators to reconsider the issues mentioned in the recent report regarding the killing of Yemeni children. The removal of the Saudi-led coalition from this list has led to protests from human rights organizations. The UN states that at least 6,400 people have been killed since the onset of the conflict in Yemen, and 80% of the country's population is in need of humanitarian assistance.
Saudi Defense Minister Requests Meeting with UN Secretary-General
Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince and Defense Minister, has requested a meeting with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon amid controversies regarding the Saudi-led coalition's temporary removal from the UN blacklist of child rights violators. This situation highlights ongoing tensions surrounding the humanitarian crisis in Yemen and the international response to Saudi actions.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has requested a meeting with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon following the controversy over the Saudi-led coalition's temporary removal from a UN blacklist of child rights violators. The coalition was criticized for its role in the Yemen conflict, particularly for attacks impacting children.
- The Saudi-led coalition was temporarily removed from the UN blacklist after being accused of causing significant child casualties in Yemen.
- Human rights organizations have protested this removal, highlighting ongoing concerns about the humanitarian impact of the conflict.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
The conflict in Yemen has led to a severe humanitarian crisis, with the Saudi-led coalition facing criticism for its military tactics. The UN's role in monitoring and reporting on these issues is crucial for international accountability.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
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