The spokesperson of the European External Action Service (EEAS) welcomed, on Thursday 16 May, a first unilateral withdrawal of Houthi forces from the three Red Sea ports, including Hodeidah. This withdrawal is declared effective by the United Nations Mission for the Hodeidah Agreement (UNMHA).
“We have finally witnessed the first signs of tangible progress towards the implementation of the December 2018 Stockholm Agreement in Yemen, which is a crucial step to move the process forward towards inclusive political negotiations”, the spokesperson said in a statement.
The statement also recalled the importance for all parties to exercise maximum restraint and avoid any acts which could contribute to a general escalation, strongly condemning the drone attacks claimed by the Houthis against Saudi oil installations. In retaliation, the Saudi Arabian-led coalition conducted an air raid on the Yemeni capital on Thursday, reportedly killing several people.
The parties must fulfil their commitments and engage with the UN Special Envoy Martin Griffiths and the UNMHA in a constructive spirit to reach a political agreement, “the only option to put an end to this war”, the EEAS spokesperson urged. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)