Antonio Guterres, secretary-general of the UN, urged the Yemeni parties to extend the cease-fire and broaden it today (Friday).
According to the suggestion made by Special Envoy Hans Grundberg, Guterres said in a statement, “I strongly urge the Yemeni parties not only to renew the terms and length of the armistice, but to prolong it.”
He urged increased efforts to be made in order to come to a consensus on opening highways to Taiz and other governorates.
“This is the opportune moment to build on the progress gained and embark on the path towards resuming an inclusive political process to reach a negotiated settlement to end the conflict,” Guterres urged the Yemeni parties.
He continued, “The United Nations will make every effort to support the parties in this endeavour.
The extension of the humanitarian truce sponsored by the group in Yemen, which is set to expire soon, is a political and humanitarian need, according to Hans Grundberg, the UN’s special envoy there.
In addition, he emphasised that the opportunity presented by the truce cannot be ignored because of how significantly it has improved Yemenis’ quality of life.
Grundberg had extensive discussions with the Houthis during the visit about paying civil servants’ salaries, issues relating to ports and the airport, and maintaining the tranquilly of the front lines, according to a statement released by the Office of the UN Envoy yesterday evening, Thursday.
He emphasised that there is a chance to build on and broaden the advantages of the armistice and that everyone must show courage and leadership if peace is to be pursued rather than conflict.
He also stated that the chance would not arise again, implying that if the Houthis remained implacable, war might break out once more.
This occurred at the conclusion of the UN envoy’s visit to Sanaa, which tried to persuade the Houthi militia’s leadership to accept the UN request to prolong and broaden the humanitarian cease-fire, which expires next Sunday.
The Yemeni sides decided to prolong the ceasefire for two more months under the same terms, from August 2 through October 2, 2022, according to a statement released by the UN on that date.
This prolongation followed a prior UN armistice that went into force in April 2022 and was in place for a two-month period on all fronts of conflict in Yemen. Governorates to allow two flights to and from Sanaa International Airport each week, increase the freedom of movement of people throughout Yemen, and make it easier for 18 ships carrying petroleum to dock at Hodeidah in the west of the country.
Guterres: I demand that the cease-fire in Yemen be renewed, expanded, and extended.
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