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The parties to the conflict in Yemen have committed themselves to a ceasefire and have agreed to participate in the United Nations-led peace process.
UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg said on Saturday (23 December) that parties to the conflict in Yemen pledged to implement a nationwide ceasefire, lift economic restrictions and prepare for the resumption of inclusive UN-led negotiations. This is a new step towards ending Yemen's nine-year-long civil war. The war has killed hundreds of thousands of people and triggered one of the world's worst humanitarian crises.
Prior to that, Grundberg recently met with Rashad al-Alimi, the chairman of the Yemen** committee, and Mohammed Abdul Salam, the chief negotiator of the Iranian-backed Houthi rebel group, in Saudi Arabia and Oman.
A statement released by Grundberg's office said he "welcomes the commitment of the parties to a range of measures to implement a nationwide ceasefire ......."and prepare for the resumption of an inclusive political process".
He will engage with all parties to develop a road map under the auspices of the United Nations, which includes a commitment to pay civil servants, open routes to the Houthi city of Taiz and other areas, and resume oil exports.
Yemen has been mired in conflict since 2014, when the Houthis took control of Yemen's capital, Sanaa. In March 2015, Saudi Arabia led a multinational coalition to launch a military campaign against the Houthis.