The parties have a responsibility to ease the suffering of civilians and facilitate their safe freedom of movement. The parties have also committed under the terms of the truce to meet under UN auspices to agree on road openings in Taiz and other governorates. A UN facilitated process provides the parties with a platform for a sustainable and credible negotiated approach to opening roads. Agreement from both sides is important because road openings require coordination and ongoing communication between different sides to ensure safe and sustainable passage for civilians. It is a long-term process and not a one-time action.

Following initial rounds of negotiations held with the parties in Amman and subsequent bilateral discussions, on 3 July my Office shared an updated proposal on the phased opening of roads. Phase 1 includes four roads in Taiz, including a road also advocated for by Yemeni civil society, which will help alleviate civilian suffering and should be opened immediately. Phase II includes the parties’ commitment to open main roads in Taiz and other governorates, including Marib, Al Baydah, Al Jawf, Al Hodeidah and Al Dhale’. We continue to engage with both sides and we urge them to respond positively to this proposal. This will provide a signal of their political will, their investment in the truce and their commitment to find ways to ease the burden on the Yemeni population.

Amman, 7 July 2022