Barran Press
On the evening of January 6, 2025, Hans Grundberg, the United Nations Special Envoy for Yemen, arrived in the capital, Sana'a, which is under the control of the Houthi group, internationally classified as a terrorist organization. His visit follows meetings held in Muscat, Oman, where he engaged with Omani officials and the Houthi negotiating delegation.
According to a brief statement from the envoy’s office, shared with "Barran Press," Grundberg's visit aims to encourage the Houthis to take "concrete and substantial actions to move the peace process forward."
The statement emphasized that this visit is part of the envoy's ongoing efforts to support the release of individuals unlawfully detained, including UN staff, NGO representatives, and members of the diplomatic community.
Grundberg is also planning to hold a series of national and regional meetings in the coming days as part of his mediation efforts to resolve the ongoing crisis in Yemen and to establish peace.
Earlier in the day, Grundberg concluded his trip to Oman, where he met with Omani Deputy Foreign Minister Khalifa bin Ali Al-Harthi, along with several senior Omani officials and Mohammed Abdulsalam, head of the Houthi negotiating team.
During these meetings, Grundberg called for measurable actions to pave the way for a political process in Yemen and urged the immediate and unconditional release of detainees, stressing that this is vital for demonstrating commitment to peace efforts.
On December 23, the UN announced that Yemeni parties had reached agreements on a series of measures, including a nationwide ceasefire and steps to improve living conditions, while preparing to resume an inclusive political process under UN auspices.
However, the peace roadmap and efforts have stalled due to Houthi attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea, Arabian Sea, and Gulf of Aden since November