Yemeni Deputy Foreign Minister Abdulwahid Abu Ras held a virtual meeting today with Hans Grundberg, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy to Yemen.

During the discussion, Abu Ras conveyed the appreciation of the Government of National Accord for the ongoing efforts of the UN Special Envoy to bring peace to Yemen. He affirmed Sanaa’s readiness for peace and emphasized that the time has come to resume the political settlement process and begin implementing the roadmap, especially its humanitarian provisions.

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UN envoy shares outcomes of recent diplomacy

Grundberg briefed the Deputy Foreign Minister on the results of his latest diplomatic engagements. These included meetings with various Yemeni factions and the permanent members of the United Nations Security Council.

He reiterated the commitment of the United Nations and the broader international community to ending the conflict in Yemen and alleviating the humanitarian suffering faced by the Yemeni people.

Both parties agreed on the importance of resuming inclusive political talks and taking concrete steps toward implementing the proposed roadmap. The meeting highlighted mutual support for efforts aimed at restoring stability, security, and peace in Yemen.

UN mediation efforts in Yemen

The UN has been engaging in mediation efforts to attempt and put an end to the humanitarian crisis in Yemen that came as a result of a 2015 Saudi-led military campaign on the country.

However, the peace process in Yemen has been stalled since the United Nations announced on December 23, 2023, that the Yemeni parties had agreed on a roadmap for peace.

The Yemeni government asserts that the United States is behind the freezing of the political settlement process, due to the operations of armed forces supporting Gaza, which targeted Israeli positions deep within the occupied Palestinian territories, as well as the maritime ban on Israeli-owned and Israeli-bound ships.

Grundberg was appointed as the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Yemen in 2021 and has been engaging with both sides of the conflict ever since.

The UN has stated that it seeks to establish a plan toward peace that includes humanitarian, economic, and political components. Despite ceasefires and talks in the past, a comprehensive settlement remains elusive.