Yemen: Saudi ambassador reveals upcoming meeting between government, Houthis and Arab coalition to discuss ending war

The Saudi ambassador to Yemen, Mohammed Al-Jaber, revealed an upcoming meeting between the legitimate government, the Houthis and the Arab coalition, under the auspices of the United Nations (UN) envoy, to discuss a permanent ceasefire in Yemen, without specifying a date.

Al-Jaber attempted to explain, in a series of tweets, the initiative of the leadership of the Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen to implement a two-week ceasefire, as a means to endorse the efforts of the UN special envoy to Yemen, Martin Griffiths, in combating the coronavirus pandemic in the country.

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He added that a meeting will be held between the Yemeni government, the Houthis and a military team from the coalition, to discuss proposals for a permanent ceasefire in Yemen, and confidence-building steps.

Supervisor-General of the Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yemen (SDRPY) confirmed that the Saudi Kingdom stands with the brotherly Yemeni people and pledges to support them economically, and provide food and medical relief to confront COVID-19, noting that the Saudi authorities have allocated $500 million to the UN humanitarian response plan for Yemen, including $25 million to combat the spread of the coronavirus.

He stated that the Houthis must respond to the proposal extended by the Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen to establish a two-week ceasefire, in order to alleviate the suffering of the Yemeni people in the areas under its control, especially from the dangers of infection with COVID-19, and in support of the ongoing efforts to stop the spread of the pandemic in the country.

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A-Jaber indicated that the movement is required to prove that it has no ties with Iran, and to take full responsibility in facing the rejection of the Yemeni people, who will not accept subordination to anyone.

On Wednesday evening, the Arab coalition announced a two-week extendable ceasefire in Yemen.

A spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition, Colonel Turki Al-Maliki, announced that the decision to declare a ceasefire came in support of the Yemeni government’s acceptance of the UN secretary-general’s call for a ceasefire to counter the consequences of the spread of COVID-19.

Al-Maliki considered that this step also aims to create the appropriate conditions for the implementation of the UN envoy’s call for a meeting between the Yemeni government, the Houthis and a military team from the coalition to discuss Saudi Arabia’s proposals on steps and mechanisms to implement the ceasefire in Yemen.