Grundberg announces an agreement between the government and the Houthis to reduce the escalation in the economic file

The office of the UN envoy to Yemen, Hans Grundberg, announced on Tuesday that the Yemeni government and the Houthi militia had reached a four-point agreement to reduce the escalation in the file of the banking sector and Yemeni Airlines.

The office said in its statement, “Last night, Monday, July 22, the Yemeni government and the Ansar Allah group (Houthis) informed the UN Special Envoy to Yemen, Hans Grundberg, that they had agreed on several measures to reduce the escalation with regard to the banking sector and Yemeni Airlines, according to a written text that he received.” The UN envoy from both parties.”

According to the statement, the agreement included in its first article “the cancellation of recent decisions and measures against the banks on both sides and the cessation of any similar decisions or measures in the future.”

The agreement also included “the resumption of Yemenia Airlines flights between Sana’a and Jordan, increasing the number of its flights to three daily, and operating flights to Cairo and India daily or as needed,” while holding meetings to address the administrative, technical, and financial challenges facing the company.

The agreement stipulated, according to the statement, “to begin holding meetings to discuss all economic and humanitarian issues based on the road map.” The two parties also requested United Nations support in implementing what was agreed upon.

UN envoy Hans Grundberg pointed to the important role played by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in reaching this agreement. He also expressed the readiness of the United Nations to work with the two parties to implement the measures they agreed upon, and offered that his office support communication with the authorities in Jordan, Egypt and India.

Grundberg stressed the need for the two parties to cooperate in order to reach an economy that serves all Yemenis and supports the implementation of a nationwide ceasefire and the resumption of an inclusive political process.

This announcement came 10 days after the Leadership Council affirmed “adhering to a clear agenda for any dialogue regarding the economic file, including resuming oil exports, unifying the national currency, and abolishing arbitrary measures against the banking sector,” after receiving a message from the envoy regarding the postponement of... Implementing the decisions of the Central Bank related to banks, until the end of next August, and supporting an economic dialogue between the Yemeni government and the Houthis.

In his letter, the UN envoy argued that the Central Bank’s decisions could lead to serious damage to the Yemeni economy and negatively affect the livelihood of Yemenis throughout the country, which could lead to a military escalation.

Government welcome

The Yemeni government was quick to welcome the statement announced by the UN envoy, and said that it hopes that this agreement will lead to creating favorable conditions for a constructive dialogue that will end all destructive Houthi practices of the banking sector and the national economy and fulfill the roadmap obligations, including the resumption of oil exports.

The government said in a statement published by the Yemeni News Agency (Saba), “In view of the difficult humanitarian conditions that the Yemeni people are experiencing, especially in areas under force under the control of the terrorist Houthi militias, and in accordance with the principle of flexibility in implementing comprehensive economic and banking reforms, and in response to the petition of the national business community, and international mediation efforts.” Regionally and internationally, the Yemeni government welcomes what was stated in the announcement of the United Nations Special Envoy regarding the cancellation of the recent decisions against a number of banks and the banking sector, and the resumption of flights through Sana’a International Airport, and facilitating them to other destinations as needed.

He added, "The Yemeni government, on its part, views this initiative as an entry point to alleviate the suffering of the Yemeni people. It hopes that the announced agreement will lead to the creation of favorable conditions for a constructive dialogue to end all destructive Houthi practices against the banking sector, the economy, and the national currency, and to fulfill the obligations contained in the agreement." The road map, most notably the resumption of oil exports.

The government praised the commendable efforts led by the brothers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to reach this agreement, in confirmation of their principled commitment and firm positions alongside the Yemeni people at various stages and circumstances.

The government stressed in its statement that its economic reforms aim to protect the legal status of the state, empower the Central Bank of Yemen with its exclusive rights to manage monetary policy, protect the banking sector and depositors, and limit the catastrophic repercussions of the cessation of oil exports on the national currency and the most vulnerable groups in various parts of the country. Motherland.

The government also affirmed its complete keenness not to expose the Yemeni people in areas forcibly under the control of the Houthi militias to further burdens of living as a result of the unilateral policies of the militias, and to enable them to travel, which is much needed by thousands of patients and those seeking job and educational opportunities to alleviate the burden of the war that is affecting them. It was ignited by militias with the support of the Iranian regime ten years ago.

In this context, the government called on the international community to assume its responsibilities in continuing to put more pressure on the Houthi militias and push them to give priority to the interests of the Yemeni people, and not to depend on the interests of their supporters to drag Yemen and its people from one war to another, and to begin instead responding to the peace efforts led by the brothers in the Kingdom. Saudi Arabia in order to launch a comprehensive political process that meets the aspirations of all Yemenis to restore state institutions, security, stability and development, in accordance with the terms of reference agreed upon nationally, regionally and internationally.