Reports: Yemeni leader, UN envoy met over peace process

Houthi supporters chant slogans as they attend a rally marking eight years for a Saudi-led coalition, March 26, 2023, in Sanaa, Yemen. (PHOTO /AP)

ADEN, Yemen  – Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) Chairman Rashad Al-Alimi met with UN Special Envoy Hans Grundberg on Sunday in the Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh.

Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council Chairman Rashad Al-Alimi affirmed the PLC's commitment to supporting UN Special Envoy Hans Grundberg's efforts in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions

During the meeting, Grundberg briefed Al-Alimi on the results of his recent meetings at the regional and international levels, according to the official Saba news agency.

The UN envoy stressed the opportunity presented to Yemen now to launch a comprehensive political process that fulfills the aspirations of the Yemeni people.

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Restoring state institutions, ensuring security and stability, and establishing sustainable peace are among the priorities in the political process, Grundberg noted.

For his part, Al-Alimi affirmed the PLC's commitment to supporting Grundberg's efforts in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions.

He also stressed the importance of integrating international efforts to revive the path of peace and alleviate the suffering of the Yemeni people.

The meeting concluded with a call for the Houthis to immediately cease all hostilities and engage in serious and inclusive negotiations to reach a comprehensive political settlement, according to the report.

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Yemen has been embroiled in a years-long military conflict after the Houthi militia took control of several northern cities and ousted the Yemeni government from Sanaa in 2014.

The ongoing conflict has resulted in a staggering number of casualties and has plunged the Arab world's poorest country into humanitarian crises, including widespread famine.