Yemen – US ambassador in Aden renews commitment to extending truce

Date: 01/06/2022

Location: Aden – Yemen

Language: Arabic + English

Duration: 00:03:16

Voice: Natural

Source: A24 Aden

Restriction: A24 clients

Storyline:

President of the Presidential Leadership Council Rashad al-Alimi received Wednesday credentials of the newly appointed US ambassador to Yemen Stephen Vagin. The two parties discussed opportunities of extending the UN truce, with the presence of US Envoy to Yemen Tim Linder King, amid the Houthi militias’ failure to comply with the agreement. In a joint press conference with Yemeni Foreign Minister Ahmed bin Mubarak and the American envoy, the US ambassador confirmed Washington’s support for the reforms led by the Presidential Leadership Council, and its keenness to improve relations between the two countries. Meanwhile, the council reiterated its refusal to compromise on the opening of Taiz roads after the opening of Sanaa airport and the port of Hodeidah to oil derivatives. The UN envoy to Yemen, Hans Grundberg, faces difficulties to persuade the Houthis to open all the main roads to Taiz, leading to postponing the consultations that started last week in the Jordanian capital, Amman, to next Saturday.

Shot list:

• Soundbite (Ahmed bin Mubarak – Minister of Foreign Affairs of Yemen):

“The Yemeni government made major concessions to make the truce succeed, realizing and believing that the most important thing is to alleviate human suffering. Despite the Houthis’ exploitation of these humanitarian issues, we are still optimistic. We would like to remind the international community that humanitarian issues are indivisible, and should not be handled with distinction. The suffering of civilians in Sana’a, Hodeidah, or Taiz is the same. Lifting movement restrictions in Taiz should be implemented immediately in accordance with the truce. We should act against the Houthis’ ongoing siege ”

• Soundbite: (Tim Lenderking – US envoy to Yemen):

“We know much more work needs to be done including to bring relief to hundreds of thousands of residents of Taiz who suffered for too long. That is precisely why we must extend the UN truce. We must build on the very real benefits the first two months of the truth have brought to save lives and improve access to goods, and services and expand economic stability.”

• Soundbite (Stephen Harris Fagin – New US Ambassador to Yemen):

“It is been an honor to be here today in Aden today to present my credentials presidential as the new Us ambassador to the Republic of Yemen. In our meetings today with the president, other members of the presidential leadership council, the prime minister, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, I underscored my personal commitment to strengthening bilateral ties between the two countries.”