Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council Dr. Nayef Al-Hajraf on Thursday welcomed a cease-fire declaration by the Arab joint coalition for supporting legitimacy in Yemen. The two-week truce, declared on Wednesday, was set to be effective today.
Dr. Al-Hajraf expressed hope, in a statement, that the cease-fire declaration would be helpful for preparing adequate circumstances for heeding a call by the United Nations Envoy to Yemen Martin Griffith on holding a meeting between the legitimate government and the Houthis.
He hoped that the aspired meeting would be held to enforce a lasting cease-fire, start taking confidence-building steps and resume the political process among the Yemeni parties for sake of a sustainable and comprehensive solution to the crisis.
The GCC secretary-general affirmed the council support for a call by the UN secretary-general on March 23 for a ceasing fire in all troubled countries and regions throughout the world to shift the human race’s attention to combating the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
Moreover, Dr. Al-Hajraf urged the Houthis to observe a sustainable cease-fire, intensify efforts in the fight against the pandemic and cooperate with the UN envoy for working out a political settlement based on the Gulf initiative, the national dialogue and the UN Security Council Resolution 2216.