The United States welcomes today’s UN announcement on the extension of the truce in Yemen. This truce brought a truce from the conflict to millions of Yemenis and saved thousands of lives, providing Yemen with the longest period of calm since the war began. We appreciate the tireless efforts of United Nations Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg, who works with the United States and our regional and international partners to achieve this extension, especially the governments of Saudi Arabia and Oman. We have prioritized our commitment to Yemen from the earliest days of the administration and I appreciate the efforts of colleagues across the department, including our special envoy, Tim Lenderking. The United States also commends the leadership of the government of the Republic of Yemen during the truce in improving the lives of countless Yemenis, including by facilitating continued fuel imports through the port of Hudaydah and flights from Sana’a airport.
The United States urges the Yemeni sides not to let this opportunity pass and to engage with Special Envoy Grundberg to build on this truce, which is the best opportunity for peace for Yemen. The parties must work with Special Envoy Grundberg to urgently reach agreement on the expanded truce agreement he presented, which includes measures to expand freedom of movement and the payment of wages, delivering greater and tangible benefits for the Yemeni people and paving the way for a lasting resolution to the conflict. First, the Houthis must open the main roads to Taiz, the third largest city in Yemen, and alleviate the suffering of hundreds of thousands of Yemenis who have been in siege conditions since 2015.
The United States continues to commit to moving forward a lasting and inclusive peace agreement in Yemen that alleviates the suffering of Yemenis, helps people ensure a more prosperous future for their country, and responds to their demands for justice and responsibility. We are also committed to mitigating the terrible humanitarian and economic crisis in Yemen.
We urge the Yemeni parties to listen to the demands of their people and to commit to cooperating under the auspices of the United Nations to achieve peace.
