Reuters: UN Ceasefire Plan to Stop Fighting in Yemen

Reuters has reported on a new United Nations plan to establish a ceasefire in Yemen. According to this plan, the Shia Houthi militants will end missile attacks in exchange for a halt to the airstrikes by the Saudi-led Arab coalition. Reuters states that it has seen a draft of this ceasefire plan, which has been confirmed by two informed sources involved in the negotiations. The draft states that, as part of planning for new security measures, all heavy and medium weapons, including ballistic missiles held by non-state actors, must be surrendered. The draft adds that disarmament will include all groups. Additionally, the ceasefire draft envisions the formation of a transitional government that includes all political groups. An informed source told Reuters that the goal is to initiate a political and security process alongside the cessation of hostilities, followed by a move towards the withdrawal of forces and the establishment of a national unity government. However, the final stage is likely to be the most challenging. Reuters notes that this plan is part of the latest efforts to end the three-year war in Yemen, which has become the worst humanitarian crisis in the world. The Shia Houthi militants, supported by Iran, seized Sana'a in 2014, prompting Yemeni President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi to flee to the port city of Aden. A year later, Saudi Arabia formed a regional coalition to attack the positions of the Houthi militants and their allies. Reuters reports that this draft was prepared by Martin Griffiths, the UN envoy for Yemen, and will be presented as a framework for negotiations in mid-June. Meanwhile, Anwar Gargash, the UAE Foreign Minister, has implicitly indicated his country's willingness to support Martin Griffiths' plan. Gargash told 'The National,' an English-language newspaper in the UAE, that politically, it is essential to support the UN's efforts, as it will ultimately lead to a transition to a new political order in Yemen. With the UN's efforts and political and military processes, we will witness the Houthis' withdrawal from urban areas. This comes as the battle between UAE-backed Yemeni forces and the Shia Houthi militants over the port city of Hodeidah has entered a decisive phase. It is reported that Emirati forces and their allies have now reached within 10 kilometers of the port. The port of Hodeidah is currently under the control of Houthi militants and is the main route for humanitarian aid to this impoverished and war-torn country. UN officials have recently warned that an attack on Hodeidah, which has a population of 600,000, could lead to a humanitarian crisis. According to an urgent UN estimate, a military attack on Hodeidah and its blockade could result in the deaths of thousands in the city.