Grundberg in Muscat to urge Houthis to back his roadmap

Special Envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General for Yemen Hans Grundberg held talks in Muscat on Tuesday with Omani officials and the spokesman of the Iran-backed Houthi militias to “operationalize” a roadmap for peace.

The roadmap would build on the commitments made by the Yemeni parties, through Saudi and Omani mediation, towards restoring peace in Yemen.

This was Grundberg’s first visit to Muscat since his announcement that he had received commitments from the Yemeni government and Houthis to form a roadmap for peace.

The envoy’s latest tour of the region also took him to Saudi Arabia where he met Chairman of the Presidential Leadership Council Dr. Rashad al-Alimi in Riyadh.

Grundberg’s office said he met with Houthi spokesman Mohammed Abdulsalam in Muscat “to discuss the UN roadmap which will operationalize the parties' commitments to a nationwide ceasefire, measures to improve living conditions in Yemen, and the resumption of an inclusive political process under UN auspices.”

He also met with senior Omani officials to discuss the continued regional support and coordination to the UN mediation.