UN Special Envoy for Yemen announces two-month renewal of UN-mandated truce

AMMAN — UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg on Tuesday announced a two-month renewal of the UN-mandated truce. 

“The parties have agreed to extend the truce, under the same terms, for an additional two months, from 2 August 2022 until 2 October 2022,” he said in a statement posted on the UN website.

“This truce extension includes a commitment from the parties to intensify negotiations to reach an expanded truce agreement as soon as possible,” he noted. 

“I wish to express my gratitude to the leaderships of the parties for agreeing to this truce extension and for their continued constructive engagements with me in implementing and seeking an expansion to the truce,” he added. 

“In order to consolidate the opportunity provided by the truce to pivot toward sustainable peace, I will also intensify my efforts with the parties to reach as soon as possible an expanded truce agreement. I have shared with the parties a proposal for an expanded truce agreement, and I have received from both sides substantive comments on this proposal,” Grundberg said. 

“The expanded truce proposal would provide for reaching an agreement on a transparent and effective disbursement mechanism for the regular payment of civil servant salaries and civilian pensions, the opening of roads in Taiz and other governorates, opening additional destinations to and from Sanaa International Airport, and providing fuel and its regular flow of fuel to the ports of Hudaydah,” the envoy stated.

“An expanded agreement would also provide an opportunity to negotiate a nationwide ceasefire, humanitarian and economic issues, and to prepare for the resumption of the Yemeni-led political process under UN auspices to reach a sustainable and just peace,” he continued. 

Grundbery said that “[t]he main objective of the current truce continues to be to provide tangible relief to civilians and to create a conducive environment for reaching a peaceful settlement to the conflict through a comprehensive political process.”

“In the coming weeks, I will intensify my engagements with the parties to ensure the full implementation of all the parties’ obligations in the truce. This should include the implementation of the full number and regularity of flights between the agreed destinations and Sana’a International Airport and the number of fuel ships entering Hudaydah port, as stipulated in the truce agreement, he added.”

“It is also important to make progress on opening roads in Taiz and other governorates to facilitate the freedom of movement of millions of Yemeni women, men and children, and of goods. The people of Taiz and across Yemen deserve for the truce to deliver for them in all its aspects,” he stressed.

“I would like to reiterate my gratitude for the concerted support of the international community. I note in particular the support of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Sultanate of Oman, as well as the members of the UN Security Council,” he added. 

“I count on the continued cooperation of the parties to meet their commitments and implement all elements of the truce and to negotiate in good faith to reach an expanded truce agreement, and to put Yemen on a path to sustainable peace. The Yemeni people deserve no less,” he concluded.