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Egypt welcomes Yemen peace deal, considers resumption of Sanaa-Cairo flights

July 24, 2024 at 2:33 pm

An EgyptAir Boeing 737 aircraft taxis ahead of take-off at Egypt’s Cairo International Airport. [Photo by AMIR MAKAR/AFP via Getty Images]

Egypt has expressed strong support for the recent agreement between the internationally-recognised Yemeni government and Houthi-led de-facto government in Sanaa, aimed at de-escalating economic and banking tensions and expanding direct flights from Sanaa to include Cairo and India.

In a statement issued by the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday, Egypt welcomed the progress made and emphasised its commitment to studying the feasibility of resuming direct flights between Cairo and Sanaa, considering the relevant technical and logistical requirements.

The ministry also highlighted its hope that this agreement would pave the way for implementing UN Security Council Resolution 2216, which calls for the cessation of violence and the imposition of an arms embargo on specific entities. The statement also reaffirmed Egypt’s ongoing support for efforts to resolve the Yemeni conflict.

READ: Yemen: Houthi govt. demands complete opening of Sanaa Airport

Yesterday, UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg said the Aden-based authorities and the Sanaa government agreed on several measures to de-escalate in relation to the banking sector and Yemenia Airways. The parties agreed to “cancel all the recent decisions and procedures against banks by both sides and refrain in the future from any similar decisions or procedures.”

They also agreed on “resuming Yemenia Airways’ flights between Sanaa and Jordan and increasing the number of flights to three daily flights, and operating flights to Cairo and India daily or as needed.”

In 2022, Egyptian authorities announced plans to allow the resumption of flights between Sanaa and Cairo as part of broader efforts to solidify the truce and promote peace in the war-torn country.

The latest announcement comes against a backdrop of heightened conflict with Israel, after occupation fighter jets carried out brutal air strikes on oil storage facilities at Hudaydah Port following a deadly drone attack on Tel Aviv carried out by the Houthi-aligned armed forces.

The Israeli military stated that the strikes were also in retaliation for over 220 projectiles fired by the Houthis at Israel, which stems from Sanaa’s support and solidarity with the Palestinian resistance in Gaza amid the ongoing genocide by the occupation army.