Ban Welcomes Swearing in of Unity Government in Yemen

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon welcomed on Saturday the swearing in of the Government of National Unity in Yemen, calling it an important milestone in implementing the transitional agreement in the country.Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh signed a transition agreement in Riyadh on 23 November.Under the accord, Saleh agreed to hand over his powers to Vice President Abed Rabbo Mansour al-Hadi and presidential elections are to be held within the next three months.According to a statement issued by his spokesperson, Ban called upon all sides "to work towards the full implementation of an inclusive Yemeni-led transition process, giving all Yemenis including women and the youth, a true stake in the country's future," and stressed this is essential to put the country on a path towards restoring peace and stability and laying the foundations for economic recovery.The Secretary General's Special Adviser for Yemen Jamal Benomar and his team are currently working closely with all stakeholders in the country, the Gulf Cooperation Council, members of the Security Council and other international partners.