New York, USA – The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres received H E Sheikh Khalifa bin Ali bin Issa al Harthy, Undersecretary for Diplomatic Affairs in the Foreign Ministry, in his office in New York on Tuesday.

The meeting took place on the sidelines of a high-level ministerial political forum on sustainable development, which is being held in New York from July 13 to 15.

During the meeting, views were exchanged on a number of regional and international issues. The secretary-general expressed his appreciation for Oman’s foreign policy and its role in supporting stability and security efforts in the region.

He also expressed his gratitude to the Omani government for the existing cooperation and coordination with the United Nations, especially with regard to the Yemeni issue.

UN looks for Yemen truce extension

The United Nations, led by its Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg, is working to extend the Yemen truce, which got an initial extension of two months on June 2.

In a briefing to the UN Security Council on July 11, Grundberg extended his gratitude for the continued support of the UN Council, as well as from the Sultanate of Oman and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the broader international community.

“Your continued support for the full implementation and extension of the truce as well as for the way forward will be vital in the weeks to come. The truce represents the best opportunity for peace in Yemen we have had in years and we should encourage and support the parties to make the most of this opportunity for the benefit of Yemen as a whole,” he said.

With the deadline for the truce extension a mere three weeks away, Grundberg said he wanted to outline a way forward that includes extending, consolidating and expanding the truce so that “we increase the benefits to Yemen’s population and move toward a political settlement”.

According to Grundberg, the truce has resulted in a significant reduction in civilian casualties, with the number of civilian casualties reduced by two thirds compared to the three months before the truce began.