UN envoy briefs Yemeni leader on peace efforts

ADEN, Yemen, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- United Nations Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg met with Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) Chairman Rashad Al-Alimi in Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh on Sunday to brief him on the latest developments of the UN-led peace process.

According to the state-run Saba news agency, Grundberg updated Al-Alimi on his coordinated efforts with international partners to resume comprehensive political talks between the Yemeni warring sides under UN auspices.

The meeting touched on the current situation in Yemen and the need for greater international pressure on the Houthi militia to seriously engage in peace efforts and end the suffering of the Yemeni people, said the report.

Al-Alimi reiterated the support of the PLC and the Yemeni government for the UN envoy's efforts and pledged to facilitate his work toward fulfilling his mandate.

In a statement after the meeting, Grundberg said he discussed the UN roadmap with Al-Alimi, which aims to operationalize commitments by the parties to a nationwide ceasefire, measures to alleviate the dire humanitarian crisis, and the resumption of inclusive political negotiations.

But in an interview with the Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper earlier on Sunday, Grundberg cautioned that any peace plan would require a gradual approach and hinge on securing a durable cessation of hostilities and the withdrawal of all foreign forces from Yemen.

While the Yemeni government and Houthi rebels have participated in several rounds of UN-brokered peace talks, a long-term solution remains elusive. Skirmishes between government forces and the Houthis continue sporadically across the war-torn country.

Yemen has been engulfed in a devastating civil war since 2014, with the Houthis battling the internationally recognized government. In 2015, a Saudi-led coalition entered the conflict in support of the Yemeni government.

The humanitarian toll has been immense. The UN designates Yemen as the world's worst humanitarian crisis, with millions on the brink of starvation, susceptible to disease, and displaced from their homes.

Continuous fighting has decimated infrastructure, crippled the economy, and left most people dependent on aid to survive. ■