Yemen warring parties agree to implement new ceasefire
Yemen's warring parties have committed to a new ceasefire and agreed to engage in a UN-led peace process to end the war, the UN envoy for Yemen said on Saturday. Following a series of meetings in Saudi Arabia and Oman, a statement by the office of UN special envoy Hans Grundberg said he "welcomes the parties' commitment to a set of measures to implement a nation-wide ceasefire... and (to) engage in preparations for the resumption of an inclusive political process." The envoy "will now engage with the parties to establish a road map under UN auspices that includes these commitments and supports their implementation," the statement added. Yemen has been gripped by conflict since the Iran-backed Houthi rebels took control of the capital Sanaa in 2014, triggering a Saudi-led military intervention in support of the beleaguered government the following year. A UN-brokered ceasefire that took effect in April 2022 brought a sharp reduction in hostilities. The truce expired in October last year, though fighting largely remains on hold. According to the latest UN statement, the road map to end the fighting includes commitments to pay civil servants' salaries, open routes into the rebel-blockaded city of Taez and other parts of Yemen and resume oil exports. "Yemenis are watching and waiting for this new opportunity to provide for tangible results and progress towards lasting peace," Grundberg said. "The parties have taken a significant step. Their commitments are, first and foremost, an obligation to the Yemeni people." (AFP)