The UN chief has nominated a new special envoy to Yemen, responsible for guiding peace talks around the conflict-ridden country, the AP reported Thursday.
A UN diplomat confirmed UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon nominated Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, current UN Ebola chief, in a letter to the UN Security Council. The council has two days to consider the candidate.
The nomination follows Jamal Benomar's resignation last week after he lost the support of Gulf countries. Saudi Arabia and other nations criticized Benomar for being too soft on the Houthis, allowing them to agree to peace talks as a political maneuver to gain territory in Yemen.