The US stresses that Yemen “has an unprecedented opportunity for peace” on the first anniversary of the ceasefire

3 Apr. (EUROPE PRESS) –

The Government of the United States has celebrated this Sunday the first anniversary of the ceasefire in Yemen, has urged to maintain the truce and has asked to support the efforts to resolve the conflict, at a time that the US authorities have described as an “opportunity for unprecedented peace.”

“Today marks an important milestone: a year of truce in the Yemeni war. A year that has saved countless Yemeni lives, increased humanitarian aid across the country, enabled Yemenis to travel across the Middle East and laid the conditions for complete peace,” reads a statement from the White House.

For the Biden Administration, one of his main goals toward his partners in the Middle East has been to “maintain this truce and strengthen progress toward peace.” towards a global resolution of this terrible conflict,” the letter continues.

Likewise, he has underlined the “positive result” that has been the cessation of cross-border attacks from Yemen and air attacks inside the country. He has also reaffirmed his support for his partners in the region, such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

The US State Department has highlighted that the truce, mediated by the United Nations, “has begun the longest period of calm since the beginning of the war”, for which it considers that “Yemen today has an unprecedented opportunity for peace” .

Deputy State Department spokesman Vedant Patel has admitted that the truce is “only the first step towards a comprehensive Yemeni political process.”

“The truce has paved the way for an intensive dialogue on a broader agreement, and the recent agreement to release almost 900 detainees from all parties to the Yemeni conflict represents another important step forward,” Patel explained, who also remarked improvements in the provision of humanitarian and economic aid.

However, he has shown his “serious concern” about the actions of the Houthis, since they “threaten this extraordinary process and exacerbate the suffering of the Yemenis.” Therefore, he has urged them to give up attacks against, for example, oil exports, and seek a peaceful solution.

The war in Yemen, unleashed in 2015, pits the internationally recognized government, now represented by the Presidential Leadership Council and supported by the international coalition led by Saudi Arabia, against the Houthis, backed by Iran. The Houthis control the capital, Sana’a, and parts of the north and west of the country.