On Monday 21 November, the European Union welcomed the ceasefire, however fragile, brokered by US Secretary of State John Kerry and called for it to be extended.
“Although fragile due to widespread violations by all sides”, it was “an initial step in the right direction”, said a spokesperson for the European External Action Service (EEAS) in a press release. “It is crucial that all the parties urgently agree on its unconditional extension which would include the commitment to unhindered access for humanitarian supplies and personnel to all parts of Yemen and pave the way to a the resumption of talks on the basis of the Road Map presented by the UN Special Envoy to the parties”, she added.
Stating that, in the past, the breakdown of ceasefires had led“only to further killing and suffering for the civilian population”, the spokesperson said that the EU urged all the warring parties to make the necessary compromises and commitments in the interest of alleviating the suffering of the Yemeni people.
The EU pledges its full support to the ongoing efforts to resume the UN-led peace negotiations and remains ready to contribute to a negotiated settlement, starting with providing assistance to capacity building for the de-escalation and coordination committee and the local de-escalation committees, the spokesperson made clear. She said: “Resuming these activities, as agreed by the parties would be an important confidence building measure, key for a long-term cessation of the hostilities”. When asked by EUROPE, an EU spokesperson said that the EU had already supported de-escalation through European resources for mediation support (ERMES), adding that ERMES remained at the disposal of the peace process in Yemen.
The Arab coalition, led by Saudi Arabia, decided on Monday 21 November not to extend the 48-hour ceasefire, giving as its reason the repeated violations by the Houthi militias. According to the coalition spokesperson, the ceasefire was broken 563 times in Yemen and 163 times on the Saudi border. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)