On his first visit to the impoverished Arabian Peninsula country, the UN Secretary General will hold talks with President Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi and Gulf Cooperation Council head Abdul Latif al-Zayani who is also in Sanaa, according to official news agency SABA.

A UN official in Sanaa meanwhile said Ban's visit was to mark "the first anniversary of Yemen's peace and transition agreement," which forced Saleh to step down after 33 years in power.

Ambassadors from the five permanent Security Council members and envoys from neighbouring Arab Gulf monarchies are also expected to meet Ban to assess progress on implementing the UN and GCC-backed agreement, a local diplomat said.

The dialogue was scheduled for mid-November of this year, but has not yet begun, with no reason for the delay and no new date announced.