The talks, to be held in Geneva on September 6, were announced on Thursday by UN Special Envoy for Yemen Martin Griffiths, who said that a “political solution was possible” to end a conflict ongoing since 2015.
On Friday, a close advisor to internationally-recognised Yemeni president Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi said that the government would be present in Switzerland, but that it was “not optimistic” about reaching a peace deal.
For their part, the opposition Houthi rebel group – who control large areas of the country including capital Sana’a – announced on Saturday that they had no problem with attending such discussions in “a neutral country”.
Humanitarian crisis
The talks will aim to solve a conflict that has caused over 10,000 deaths since a Saudi and UAE-backed coalition launched a military campaign on behalf of Hadi’s government in 2015.
Since then, the poor country at the southern edge of the Arabian Peninsula has witnessed the “worst humanitarian crisis” in the world, according to the UN; hunger and violence persists, while a cholera outbreak has killed over 2,000.
On the same day that the UN announced the upcoming talks, an air raid on the Yemeni Red Sea town of Hodeida – controlled by Houthis – led to some 55 civilian deaths and 170 injuries, according to Red Cross reports.
The casualties were largely down to bombings that appeared to target the Al-Thawra hospital (the largest in the country) and the town’s fish market (70% of Yemen’s food imports pass via Hodeida).
The government-supported military coalition denied responsibility for the attack. The UN and the Red Cross strongly condemned the civilian deaths and the areas targeted.
Previous UN efforts to hold peace talks in Geneva to find a solution to the Yemeni conflict floundered on Houthi reluctance to withdraw from strategic cities, as well as it’s resistance to sharing power.
Related Stories
Popular Stories
More
Global elections
One Swiss man’s patient work towards a democratic Romania
Swiss foreign minister praises improved relations with Italy
This content was published on
Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis expressed his satisfaction on Tuesday with the good relations that Switzerland has developed with Italy.
Boating and swimming to be banned on part of River Aare in Bern
This content was published on
From September, the city and canton of Bern will be carrying out extensive construction work on the River Aare to protect against flooding and to renovate the Marzili outdoor pool.
Moutier: foreigners familiarise themselves with right to vote
This content was published on
From 2026, Moutier will be part of the Swiss canton of Jura, gaining more than 1,000 new voters. On Monday around 50 people were informed about their new rights.
Switzerland ‘more than ready’ to host Ukraine summit
This content was published on
Switzerland is more than ready to host a summit between Russia and Ukraine, says Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis, highlighting Switzerland's expertise in this area.
This content was published on
Every second aircraft at Zurich Airport took off late this summer. However, the situation has already improved significantly compared to last year.
Swiss union federation demands average wage increase of 2%
This content was published on
The employees' umbrella organisation Travailsuisse is demanding an average wage increase of two percent for all employees in the coming year. This would cover the rising cost of living and make up for wage shortfalls in recent years.
‘Dr Pump’ sentenced for administering unauthorised substances
This content was published on
A Bern Regional Court has found the Solothurn doctor known as "Dr Pump" guilty of offences against the Sports Promotion Law. The man had administered unauthorised substances to patients.
This content was published on
Volunteering can have a positive effect on mental health. According to a survey conducted in Switzerland, Germany and Austria, people who volunteer for others also strengthen themselves.
This content was published on
Twint is being used more and more frequently to make purchases at the till or transfer money to friends using a smartphone. By the middle of the year, the payment app already had more than six million users in Switzerland.
This content was published on
The meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin should take place in Europe, according to French President Emmanuel Macron. He is calling for it to be held in Geneva.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Switzerland pledges more emergency aid to Yemen
This content was published on
Switzerland has promised an extra CHF4 million ($4.2 million) towards humanitarian aid for Yemen at a United Nations donor conference in Geneva.
This content was published on
How has the brutal conflict in Syria been allowed to drag on for seven years, and what has happened to traditional diplomacy, asks Imogen Foulkes.
‘We look on as people starve to death, and we do nothing’
This content was published on
Manea, who has Yemeni and Swiss citizenship, says negotiations need to take place at a local and regional level. swissinfo.ch: What’s the situation for the population in Yemen? Elham Manea: Every ten minutes a child dies from malnutrition. We look on as people starve to death, and we do nothing. Everyone is suffering there, but…
This content was published on
Here is a short guide to the sixth round of the intra-Syrian peace negotiations, which are taking place in Geneva and set to run from May 16-19.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.