Grundberg Leaves Sanaa without Commenting on Houthi Conditions for Extending Truce

UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg - Asharq Al-Awsat
UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg - Asharq Al-Awsat
TT
20

Grundberg Leaves Sanaa without Commenting on Houthi Conditions for Extending Truce

UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg - Asharq Al-Awsat
UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg - Asharq Al-Awsat

UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg concluded on Thursday a one-day visit to Yemen’s Houthi-run capital, Sanaa. During his visit, Grundberg met with the head of the Houthi ruling council, Mahdi al-Mashat.

Grundberg left Sanaa without commenting on the conditions placed by Houthis on expanding the humanitarian and military truce in Yemen, which expires next Sunday.

The UN-brokered truce between the Yemeni government and Iran-backed Houthi militias went into force on April 2 and was later renewed twice through Oct. 2.

Currently, the UN is racing against time to persuade the Yemeni warring parties to extend the truce for an extra six months.

In addition to extending the cease-fire agreement, the United Nations also seeks to expand its provisions.

Fears are growing regarding Grundberg’s inability to convince Houthis of his plan to expand and improve the terms of the armistice.

Nevertheless, western and US diplomats hope that the UN envoy will succeed in his mission.

Paving the way for launching talks and reaching a comprehensive settlement for the conflict in Yemen hinges on Grundberg’s success in convincing the Houthis.

Houthi media reported that al-Mashat met Grundberg and his accompanying delegation.

“UN efforts to expand the truce were discussed during the meeting,” they affirmed.

According to the Houthi version of the official Saba News Agency, al-Mashat reviewed with Grundberg Houthi demands for the payment of employee salaries and pensions and the abolition of restrictions on Sanaa airport and the port of Hodeidah.

Grundberg was told the rebels would “not accept the expansion” unless the salaries of all state employees and the pensions of retired state staff were paid.

Before heading to Sanaa, the UN envoy had visited Riyadh and met with the leaders of the internationally recognized government and Saudi officials. He also paid a visit to Oman to meet there with Omani officials.



Sisi Steps Up Criticism of Ethiopia, Rejects ‘Pressure’ on Egypt Over Nile Dam

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi meets with his Ugandan counterpart Yoweri Museveni in Cairo. (Egyptian Presidency)
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi meets with his Ugandan counterpart Yoweri Museveni in Cairo. (Egyptian Presidency)
TT
20

Sisi Steps Up Criticism of Ethiopia, Rejects ‘Pressure’ on Egypt Over Nile Dam

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi meets with his Ugandan counterpart Yoweri Museveni in Cairo. (Egyptian Presidency)
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi meets with his Ugandan counterpart Yoweri Museveni in Cairo. (Egyptian Presidency)

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Tuesday stepped up his criticism of Ethiopia over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), built on the Nile’s main tributary, which Cairo fears will threaten its water supply.

He rejected what he described as “unilateral measures” along the Nile Basin, warning: “Anyone who thinks Egypt will turn a blind eye to threats to its water security is mistaken.”

Speaking at a joint press conference in Cairo with visiting Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, Sisi said the water issue had become “part of a broader campaign of pressure on Egypt to achieve other objectives.”

“We will remain vigilant and will take all measures guaranteed under international law to safeguard our people’s existential resources,” he vowed.

Sisi stressed that Egypt does not oppose development in Nile Basin countries but insisted such projects must not affect the volume of water reaching Egypt. “The best way to deal with the Nile Basin is to respect everyone’s interests,” he said.

Negotiations between Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sudan, under African Union mediation, have been stalled since April 2021, prompting Cairo to appeal to the UN Security Council for pressure on Addis Ababa.

Egypt, which relies on the Nile for 98% of its water, receives an annual quota of 55.5 billion cubic meters. It is already below the global water poverty line, with only 500 cubic meters per person annually, according to the Ministry of Irrigation.

Sisi noted that Egypt and Sudan together receive just 4% of the Nile Basin’s 1,600 billion cubic meters of water, amounting to 85 billion cubic meters.

“This is the only source of life for the two downstream states,” he said, adding that Egypt had never called for “fair water sharing”, which would mean dividing the entire basin’s volume.

Egypt hopes Uganda’s current chairmanship of the Nile Basin Initiative’s consultation mechanism can foster consensus among basin states.

The two leaders inaugurated the Egypt-Uganda Business Forum in Cairo and witnessed the signing of five agreements on water resources, agricultural cooperation and food security, investment, mutual visa exemptions for official passports, and diplomatic cooperation.

The talks come just weeks before Ethiopia plans to inaugurate GERD in September. Former Assistant Foreign Minister for African Affairs Mohamed Hegazy said Cairo is counting on Kampala’s role in dam-related consultations.

Relations between Cairo and Kampala have been warming, with Uganda recently hosting a “2+2” dialogue between the foreign and water ministers of both countries. Sisi said Egypt views Uganda as a key partner in the southern Nile Basin and seeks to make it a primary beneficiary of Egypt’s development support mechanisms.