The UN Announces a Two-Months Truce in Yemen

The UN Special Envoy to Yemen, Hans Grundberg, announced today a two-months truce among the competing parties in Yemen which comes into effect tomorrow, Saturday, the first day of Ramadan.

This is the first UN official declaration to halt the war since the beginning of fighting in Yemen in 2015.

In a statement, Grundberg said: “I announce that the parties to the conflict have responded positively to a United Nations proposal for a two-month Truce which comes into effect tomorrow 2 April at 1900hrs”.

The statement added: “the parties accepted to halt all offensive military air, ground and maritime operations inside Yemen and across its borders; they also agreed for fuel ships to enter into Hudaydah ports and commercial flights to operate in and out of Sanaa airport to predetermined destinations in the region; they further agreed to meet under my auspices to open roads in Taiz and other governorates in Yemen”.

Grundberg added that “the Truce can be renewed beyond the two-month period with the consent of the parties. 

The Grundberg declaration comes in conjunction with wide scale Yemeni consultations which are being held in Riyadh at the GCC invitation. They began last Wednesday with the absence of the Houthis.

The Houthis, the Yemeni Government and the STC welcomed the UN Envoy’s declaration.

Yemeni Foreign Minister, Ahmed Bin Mubarak said: “we welcome the Special Envoy’s declaration about truce and humanitarian arrangements”.

Prior to that, Bin Mubarak announced receiving directions from Yemeni President, Hadi, “to positively deal with all required arrangements for releasing all prisoners, opening the Sanaa Airport, launching oil derivatives ships via the Hodeida Port and opening the crossings in the in the besieged city of Taiz”.

Bin Mubarak said that this came in response to the regional and international initiatives calling for a Ramadan truce. 

Likewise, the Head of the Houthi negotiation delegation, Mohammed Abdulsalam said: “We welcome the UN Envoy’s declaration about a two- months humanitarian truce, sponsored by the UN during which military operations will stop while the Sanaa International Airport will open for some flights as well as opening the Hodeidah Port for oil derivatives regarding a number of ships”.

According to a Houthi official, the truce included allowing 18 oil derivatives ships during the two months truce to enter the Hodeidah ports and running two weekly commercial flights from and to Sanaa, to Jordan and Egypt.

Ali Al-Kathiri, the STC’s Spokesman, announced that the Council welcomes the truce. He stressed the need for a cease-fire in all contact lines in response to the urgent humanitarian situation and to support efforts made by the GCC and the UN.

The UN Envoy “thanked the parties for working with me and my office in good faith and making the necessary compromises to reach this agreement”.

“The aim of this Truce is to give Yemenis a necessary break from violence, relief from the humanitarian suffering and most importantly hope that an end to this conflict is possible” he added.

According to him, “this agreement would not have been possible without international and regional support, which I am grateful for. For the successful implementation of this Truce and for moving to the next steps, it is critical that this support continues in a sustained and focused manner”.

He announced “his plan to intensify my work with the parties with the aim to reach a permanent ceasefire, address urgent economic and humanitarian measures and resume the political process”. 

The UN Envoy “called on the parties to fully adhere to and respect the Truce and its elements and to take all necessary steps to immediately implement it”. 

He continued: “This Truce is a first and long overdue step. All Yemeni women, men and children that have suffered immensely through over seven years of war expect nothing less than an end to this war. The parties must deliver nothing less”.

On Thursday, Grundberg met with Abdulsalam in Muscat and discussed with them the UN Ramadan truce proposal.

Last Tuesday, the Saudi-led Coalition announced that it will halt its military operations in Yemen as of Wednesday morning and along Ramadan in conjunction with “the beginning of the Yemeni-Yemeni Consultations to pave the proper circumstances for the success of the consultations and creating a positive environment during the holy month of Ramadan for peacemaking in Yemen”.

International diplomats held intense meetings with several parties during the past days regarding the conflict in Yemen including the STC, the Yemeni PM, the Yemeni Foreign Minister, the National Resistance and others.