UN Envoy: Yemen is at a Juncture

Earlier today, the UN Envoy to Yemen Hans Grundberg presented his briefing to the UN Security Council at the council's open session on Yemen.

The Swedish diplomat said that Yemen is currently standing at a juncture, pointing to the recent moves and efforts by Saudi Arabia and the Sultanate of Oman.

"One year on since the parties agreed to a truce under UN auspices, Yemen is again at a critical juncture," Grundberg said.

He added: The truce has continued to deliver well beyond its expiration six months ago. I believe we have not seen such a serious opportunity for making progress towards ending the conflict in eight years."

The UN Envoy touched on the recent exchange of prisoners between the Yemeni government and the Houthis, which included nearly 900 prisoners from both sides, including Saudis.

The prisoner exchanges have reunited hundreds of families with their loved ones, just in time to celebrate Eid together, Grundberg said. This has renewed the hopes of many Yemenis.

The Envoy expressed concern on the escalation on some fronts. "I am concerned about the recent military operations in Marib, Shabwa, Taiz and other governorates," he said.

Grundberg looked forward to further steps beyond the truce. He added, "The truce was meant to be a temporary measure to open space for political talks to sustainably end the war. We could never rely on it to deliver a peaceful future to Yemen."

He added: Representatives of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Sultanate of Oman have recently been in Sanaa, where they have engaged in constructive dialogue. Saudi representatives have also held productive discussions with members of the Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) in Riyadh.

Grundberg stressed that "any new agreement in Yemen must be a clear step toward a Yemeni-led political process."

He added, "This agreement must include a strong commitment from the parties to meet and negotiate in good faith with one another. The political process needs to orient toward the future."

Grundberg noted that mediation efforts in Yemen "always adapt and evolve," adding, "Every opportunity for negotiations must be invested. Negotiations have proven their strength in releasing detainees."

In a related context, Saudi Arabia released today 104 Houthi prisoners unilaterally, according to the SPA agency and the International Red Cross in Yemen.

Yemen's PLC met with the Saudi team that visited Sanaa, headed by Riyadh's ambassador to Yemen, Mohammed Al Jaber. The PLC expressed its support for the Saudi efforts, according to Saba.