The Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Dr. Nayef Falah Mubarak Al-Hajraf, welcomed the announcement of the Joint Forces Command of the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen a comprehensive ceasefire in Yemen for a period of two weeks, starting Thursday, April 9, subject to extension.

The Secretary General expressed his hope that this announcement will contribute to creating the appropriate conditions for the implementation of the UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy to Yemen invitation, to hold a meeting between the legitimate government and the Houthis. In order to discuss the steps and mechanisms for the permanent implementation of the ceasefire in Yemen, the steps of confidence-building, and the resumption of the political process and  consultations between the Yemeni parties to reach a comprehensive political solution.

HE Dr. Nayef Falah Mubarak Al-Hajraf affirmed the Gulf Cooperation Council support to the Secretary-General of the United Nations call on March 23 to cease-fire around  the world to focus efforts on combating the spread of the emerging coronavirus. He called on the Houthis to respond with a permanent ceasefire and intensify efforts to confront this epidemic and prevent its spread in Yemen, and engage with the UN envoy to end the conflict and reach a political solution according to the Gulf Initiative, the outcomes of the National Dialogue Conference (NDC) and the Security Council resolution 2216.