Saudi Crown Prince Talks Yemen With U.N. Secretary General, According to Reuters

CAIRO (Reuters) – Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had a phone conversation with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday, focusing on advancements in resolving the conflict in Yemen and addressing other regional concerns, according to the Saudi Press Agency.

The conflict, which has been ongoing for four years, involves the Iranian-aligned Houthi movement and the Saudi-backed government led by Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi. This war has resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of individuals due to military actions and other factors.

The United Nations aims to revive a December agreement designed to facilitate a troop withdrawal from the Hodeidah port, which serves as the primary entry point for Yemen’s commercial and humanitarian supplies. The Houthis currently control Hodeidah, while troops from a Saudi-led coalition are positioned nearby. The warring factions are at odds over who should govern the city and port following the withdrawal of forces.

U.N. envoy Martin Griffiths noted on Monday that the timelines proposed for the troop pullout from the port have been delayed, urging both sides to proceed with the withdrawal.

The U.N. Secretary-General expressed appreciation for Saudi Arabia’s contributions towards fostering constructive dialogue among the Yemeni parties, as reported by SPA.

It remains uncertain whether the call also addressed an international inquiry led by U.N. investigator Agnes Callamard, who has launched a week-long investigation in Turkey into the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2. Callamard stated that Saudi Arabia has not yet approved her request to visit the kingdom’s consulate in Istanbul and engage with Saudi officials.