Khabar Khair (Only Good News)

The UN envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, has announced a two-month truce which comes into effect on Saturday, 2 April at 7 pm.

In a press statement, the UN envoy announced, “I would like to 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 parties accepted to halt all offensive military air, ground and maritime operations inside Yemen and across its borders”.

The statement added that it was agreed that fuel ships would enter into Hudaydah ports and commercial flights would operate in and out of Sana’a airport to predetermined destinations in the region; they further agreed to meet under auspices of the UN envoy to open roads in Taiz and other governorates in Yemen.

The envoy noted that the aim of the 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.

The UN envoy indicated that he plans to intensify his 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 the truce, which can be renewed beyond the two-month period with the consent of the parties, taking all necessary steps to implement it immediately.

The statement added that “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.”

All Yemeni parties welcomed this truce, and affirmed their readiness to implement its provisions and start practical measures for the truce to come into effect.

The Minister of Foreign and Expatriate Affairs in the government of President Abd Rabbuh Hadi said that he had received clear instructions from President Hadi to deal positively with all the necessary arrangements for release of prisoners, opening Sanaa airport, allowing fuel vessels into Hudaydah, and opening roads in Taiz city.

The chief negotiator for Sana’a delegation, Mohammed Abdulsalam, welcomed UN proposal for a two-month truce to give Yemenis relief from the humanitarian suffering. According to this truce, parties to the conflict shall agree to halt all offensive military air, ground and maritime operations inside Yemen and across its borders and agree for fuel ships to enter into Hudaydah ports and commercial flights to operate in and out of Sana’a airport.

 “We welcome the announcement by the UN envoy for Yemen for a two-month humanitarian truce brokered by UN, according to which military operations will halt,” Mohammed Abdulsalam said on Twitter on Friday.

The statement of the UN initiative on a two-month Truce:

Realizing the urgent need for de–escalation and for addressing humanitarian and economic needs, the parties will implement a two-month truce, starting on April 2, 2022 and ending on June 2, 2022 and is subject to renewal. The aim of this truce is to create a conducive environment to resume negotiations for a peaceful settlement of the conflict and for a peaceful settlement of the conflict and not to allow any party to re-establish its forces or resume military operations. The truce will include the following:

• The parties shall accept to halt all offensive military air, ground and maritime operations inside Yemen and across its borders and suspend current military sites on the ground;
• they shall also agree for 18 fuel ships to enter into Hudaydah ports and commercial flights to operate in and out of Sana’a airport to predetermined destinations in the region (Jordan and Egypt);
• immediately upon the truce coming into effect, the UN envoy will invite all parties to the conflict to meet under his auspices to open roads in Taiz and other governorates in Yemen to ease restrictions on the movement of people and goods in, out and within the country;
• the parties shall respond positively to UN proposals for next steps towards ending the war.

Implementation strategies and timeframe:

• The truce shall enter into effect 24 hours after being announced by the UN Special Envoy.
• During the 24-hour period, the parties shall be responsible for informing their forces to halt all offensive military operations and suspend military sites on the ground.
• The parties shall appoint Liaison Officers authorized to work with the Office of the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen on all aspects of the truce, including the military aspects, to support compliance with and respect for the truce. Although there will be no independent monitoring, the Office of the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen will provide coordination support requested by the parties to help implement the truce.
• The truce could be renewed with consent of the parties.