Efforts to extend a truce between Yemen’s government and the Houthi rebels appear to be “in trouble”, the US envoy to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield said on Tuesday.
If the truce — set to expire this week — is not extended, Yemen could be plunged back into bloody civil war.
Ms Thomas-Greenfield said Washington was concerned about an apparent breakdown in talks aimed at extending the two-month ceasefire, which took effect on April 2 and has largely held, bringing rare moments of calm to Yemen's long-suffering population.
“The fact that these talks seem to have come — they haven't ended yet, but seem to be a bit in trouble — is troublesome to us,” Ms Thomas-Greenfield told reporters in New York.
“We encourage the parties on both sides to continue those efforts and find a peaceful way to provide needed humanitarian assistance to the people of Yemen.”
Her comments came amid a flurry of diplomacy to stop Yemen from sliding back into all-out fighting between the Houthis, Yemen’s internationally recognised government and the Saudi Arabia-led coalition seeking to restore it to power.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has spoken with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan about the truce, while UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres urged Gen Rashad Al Alimi, head of Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council, to work for its renewal.
In that call, the UN chief “underscored the critical role of the truce in addressing some of the most immediate humanitarian and economic needs to alleviate the suffering of the Yemeni people”, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters on Tuesday.
Talks to extend the truce have been dogged by a Houthi ground blockade around the government-held city of Taez, Yemen's third largest. The truce deal featured the reopening of roads around Taez, recommencing flights to the rebel-held capital Sanaa and other goals.
Save The Children, Oxfam, the Norwegian Refugee Council and other aid agencies operating in Yemen on Tuesday urged the warring parties to extend the truce, which has eased the suffering of millions.
“We have seen the positive humanitarian impacts of the truce,” said the joint statement from more than 30 charities.
“We … urge you to extend the truce agreement, build further on the gains you have made possible over the past two months and work towards peace for the people of Yemen.”
Earlier this month, the NRC said the number of civilian casualties in Yemen had more than halved since the truce — the country’s first nationwide ceasefire agreement since 2016 — came into effect.
Under the truce, more than 1,000 passengers have flown between Sanaa and Jordan, and a route to Egypt is expected to begin soon. Flights have given hundreds of sick Yemenis access to “life-saving medical treatment” abroad, the aid groups said.
The Houthis seized control of Sanaa in 2014, prompting a Saudi-led military intervention to support the government the following year.
Hundreds of thousands of people have died in the war and the country is on the brink of famine.
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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United States
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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Norway
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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South Korea
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Hydrogen: Market potential
Hydrogen has an estimated $11 trillion market potential, according to Bank of America Securities and is expected to generate $2.5tn in direct revenues and $11tn of indirect infrastructure by 2050 as its production increases six-fold.
"We believe we are reaching the point of harnessing the element that comprises 90 per cent of the universe, effectively and economically,” the bank said in a recent report.
Falling costs of renewable energy and electrolysers used in green hydrogen production is one of the main catalysts for the increasingly bullish sentiment over the element.
The cost of electrolysers used in green hydrogen production has halved over the last five years and will fall to 60 to 90 per cent by the end of the decade, acceding to Haim Israel, equity strategist at Merrill Lynch. A global focus on decarbonisation and sustainability is also a big driver in its development.
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
How to join and use Abu Dhabi’s public libraries
• There are six libraries in Abu Dhabi emirate run by the Department of Culture and Tourism, including one in Al Ain and Al Dhafra.
• Libraries are free to visit and visitors can consult books, use online resources and study there. Most are open from 8am to 8pm on weekdays, closed on Fridays and have variable hours on Saturdays, except for Qasr Al Watan which is open from 10am to 8pm every day.
• In order to borrow books, visitors must join the service by providing a passport photograph, Emirates ID and a refundable deposit of Dh400. Members can borrow five books for three weeks, all of which are renewable up to two times online.
• If users do not wish to pay the fee, they can still use the library’s electronic resources for free by simply registering on the website. Once registered, a username and password is provided, allowing remote access.
• For more information visit the library network's website.
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
