Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit called for seizing the opportunity presented by the ceasefire, declared by the Saudi-led Arab coalition, to find a solution to the conflict in Yemen.
He renewed his call on the Iran-backed Houthi militias to respond and commit to the initiative, which is an opportunity to end the bloodshed in Yemen.
Aboul Gheit telephoned on Sunday United Nations envoy to Yemen, Martin Griffiths, who briefed him on the latest developments linked to proposals the organization had made to reach a nationwide ceasefire in Yemen. They include a series of economic and political measures, aimed at easing the suffering of the Yemeni people, confidence-building steps between the warring parties and boosting Yemen’s capabilities in confronting the coronavirus outbreak.
The secretary-general lauded the UN initiative "as a real opportunity that must not be wasted," noting that the Arab coalition ceasefire was welcomed by all Yemeni parties, said an official source at the Arab League.
Moreover, Aboul Gheit hailed Griffiths’ efforts in seizing the rare opportunity presented by the Arab coalition to achieve a complete ceasefire in the country and push the legitimate government and Houthis towards serious negotiations that would lead to a peace agreement that ends the war. His efforts would also allow the international community to help Yemen in confronting the coronavirus.
He also welcomed the call by UN envoys to the Middle East on Sunday to regional parties to engage in good faith and without preconditions in negotiations to immediately halt ongoing hostilities and sustaining existing ceasefires.
