United Nations Special Envoy for Yemen thanks Egypt for its active support to UN’s peace efforts

CAIRO – 26 May 2022: UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg praised Egypt’s efforts in resuming the direct flights between Cairo and Sana’a.

“I am grateful to the Government of Egypt for its cooperation on facilitating flights from Sana’a to Cairo and its active support to the UN’s peace efforts,” Grundberg said in a statement on Wednesday.

The UN statement added that preparations are underway to resume flights between Sana’a and Cairo.

“This will allow more Yemenis to travel abroad to access medical care, as well as educational and trade opportunities, and to visit family,” he added.

Previously, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry received a phone call from United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres who expressed his gratitude to President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi for allowing the operation of direct flights between Cairo and Sanaa within the framework of the UN truce in Yemen, said Egypt’s Foreign Ministry in a statement on May 23.

Minister Shoukry affirmed that he will convey this message to President Sisi, expressing his hope that this step will contribute to the stabilization of the UN truce in Yemen, alleviate the suffering of the brotherly Yemeni people, contribute to efforts aimed at establishing stability and security in Yemen, and support finding a sustainable settlement for the crisis there. He also extended his best wishes for the brotherly Yemeni people.

On April 1, a nationwide two-month truce was agreed upon by the warring parties in Yemen. This would allow the entry of oil imports into Houthi strongholds and increase flights from Sanaa airport.

In mid-April, Yemeni Foreign Minister Ahmad Awad bin Mubarak said that his country has coordinated with Egypt and Jordan to start flights through the Houthi-controlled Sanaa International Airport.

“Based on its keenness to alleviate the suffering of our people, the Government of Yemen gave directives to technical authorities, since day one of the truce, to complete internal procedures to operate two flights a week to and from Sanaa Airport. Coordination has been made with Egypt and Jordan to start the flights,” the minister stated on his official Twitter account.

Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi stepped out on April 7, 2022, passing on his duties to a presidential council. He also dismissed his deputy to pave the way for the revival of negotiations that stalled for 7 years, as reported by Reuters.

After Hadi, who is based in Riyadh, announced his decision, Saudi Arabia pledged financial aid worth $3 billion to Yemen. It also called for the council, consisting of eight members, to hold talks with Houthis, who control the northern part of the country, and who carried out attacks against different facilities on Saudi territories.

Additional reporting by Noha El Tawil