UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the ceasefire, which he said “fueled one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world”. The war has killed tens of thousands of people and left millions on the brink of starvation. On Friday, Guterres praised “the Yemeni government, the Saudi-led coalition and the Houthis who agreed to a two-month ceasefire in Yemen, including cross-border attacks.” “The parties agreed to suspend all offensive military air, land and naval operations inside and outside Yemen; they also agreed to enter the port of Hudaydah with fuel vessels and to operate commercial flights in and out of the Sanaa airport at designated destinations. “In addition, they agreed to meet under my auspices to open roads in Taiz and other provinces in Yemen,” said UN Special Envoy to Yemen Hans Grundberg. The truce could be renewed after a two-month period with the consent of the parties, Grundberg added. The foreign minister of the internationally recognized Saudi government, backed by Saudi Arabia, said on Friday that he would take steps to secure the release of detainees, the opening of Sanaa airport and the passage of oil ships through the port of Hodeidah. “I have received clear instructions from President Hady to take the necessary measures to facilitate all arrangements for the release of all detainees, the opening of Sanaa Airport, the release of oil ships through Hodeidah, the opening of roads to the besieged Taiz, to alleviate suffering. “It was provoked by the Houthis,” Ahmed bin Mubarak said on Twitter. “We immediately announce the release of the first two ships’ fuels through the port of Hodeidah,” he added. Guterres stressed the importance of the ceasefire in his statement, saying: “For more than seven years, the war has destroyed the lives of millions of Yemeni women, children and men. It is difficult to imagine the extent of their suffering, which they have received mainly. The war triggered one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world, brought state institutions to the brink of collapse, overthrew human development by two decades and threatened regional peace and security. “Today must be the beginning of a better future for the people of Yemen,” he said.
