News - Yemen: Yemeni Foreign Minister, Hisham Sharaf, discussed with the Resident Representative of the United Nations - Coordinator for Humanitarian Affairs in Yemen , William David Grisley , Wednesday, the repercussions of the humanitarian situation in Yemen.

The meeting dealt with developments in the current situation of the floating tank Safir. The Minister of Foreign Affairs stressed on the importance of expediting the filling of the financing gap to start the maintenance process of the reservoir in order to avoid any environmental disaster.
He considered the extension of the truce as an opportunity to establish confidence-building steps and procedures between the various parties.

At the same time, he stressed the importance of fully implementing confidence-building measures and fully opening Sana'a International Airport and not obstructing the entry of fuel ships and commercial goods to the port of Hodeidah.

Minister Sharaf said, "Paying the salaries of all employees is one of the most important confidence-building measures that everyone is waiting to accelerate in a serious and responsible manner, in a manner that mitigates the repercussions of the humanitarian catastrophe suffered by millions of Yemenis."

In turn, Grisley affirmed that the UN is doing good offices among all parties to complete confidence-building measures and in a way that contributes to alleviating the repercussions of the humanitarian situation. He referred to the efforts of the United Nations to donor countries to fulfill their financial pledges to ensure the continuation of humanitarian aid programs for the Yemeni people.

A UN-brokered truce in Yemen first came into effect on 2 April, and for an initial two months.  It was renewed for another two months in June.

The deal stipulated halting offensive military operations, including cross-border attacks, and allowing fuel-laden ships to enter Yemen's lifeline Hodeidah port and commercial flights in and out of the airport in the capital Sana'a "to predetermined destinations in the region."

However, in light of UN silence, the Saudi-led aggression was still obstructing flights to the Sana'a International Airport in Yemen’s capital and detaining fuel ships that were headed to the country. The fires of the aggression side did not subside along the fronts, on the borders and inside, including shelling, reconnaissance, development and crawl.

When the period specified for the military and humanitarian truce was nearing its end, the US-Saudi aggression seemed to be in a hurry to adopt the option of extending it for the third time to freeze the battle in Yemen and its economic repercussions away from global energy markets.

The forces of aggression are pushing for an extension, not out of concern for peace, but rather out of fear that the escalation will add more complications to the international scene in addition to the crisis imposed by the Russian-Ukrainian war.

A truce, the positive effects of which have not been felt by the citizens over the past months, despite its broad headlines. Commercial flights to Cairo are still stumbling until today, and the navy of aggression continues to pursue fuel ships without respect for agreements or any regard for international laws and norms.

Double standards regarding the violations of the forces of aggression and its provocative practices is a double UN policy that has brought the crisis in Yemen to its current level of misery and deprivation that has affected everyone far from justice and the realization of the rights of the Yemeni people.

The Supreme Political Council requires, in order to extend the truce, the commitment of the Saudi-led aggression to pay the salaries of all employees and the rest of the services, as a natural entitlement that is not subject to extortion. Before that, the complete blockade of Sana’a airport and the port of Hodeidah must be lifted as a criterion for demonstrating the seriousness and goodwill in the faltering peace process in Yemen.

The truce has been renewed for an additional two months through 2 October, UN Special Envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, announced on Tuesday.

The extension includes a commitment by the Saudi-led aggression and the Salvation Government to intensify negotiations to reach an expanded agreement as soon as possible.