UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg on Tuesday announced a two-month renewal of the truce in Yemen.
“I am pleased to announce that the parties have agreed to extend the truce, under the same terms, for an additional two months, from Aug. 2, 2022, until Oct. 2, 2022. This truce extension includes a commitment from the parties to intensify negotiations to reach an expanded truce agreement as soon as possible,” said Grundberg in a statement.
“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 said. “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.”
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 of additional destinations to and from Sanaa International Airport, and providing fuel and its regular flow of fuel to the ports of Hodeidah. An expanded agreement would also provide an opportunity to negotiate a nationwide cease-fire, 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 said.
The 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, he said.
Grundberg said he will intensify engagements with the parties in the coming weeks to ensure the full implementation of the truce.
“I count on the continued cooperation of the parties to meet their commitments and implement all elements of the truce and 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 said.
The truce in Yemen was first enforced on April 2 and renewed for two months on June 2.
