UN Pushes for Six Month Ceasefire Extension in Yemen

With just two short weeks left in the current Yemen ceasefire, officials are heading to Oman and Southern Yemen to try to negotiate a further extension, potentially adding another six months to the deal.

The ceasefires got their start around Ramadan and have been a runaway success in decreasing civilian casualties. This ceasefire still hasn’t led to serious peace talks, but a six-month deal would provide plenty of time for that.

Both sides seem to appreciate that the war itself isn’t doing anyone any favors, and the only way out of the conflict is negotiation. If anything, the resignation that negotiation is the only way is sometimes slowing matters, with no one wanting to seem too urgent to make peace after years of war.

The concern that the ceasefire wasn’t going to last had most of the focus on keeping it intact. Now that it’s held for months, a longer extension could provide credibility to take more risks on the peace process.