The National Alliance of Yemeni Political Parties and Forces has followed with great interest the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’s call for a ceasefire in Yemen to counter the consequences of the spread of the COVID-19 virus. And in this statement, we would like to emphasize the following:

First: The National Alliance of the Political Parties and Forces welcomes the call by the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, for a ceasefire to confront the consequences of the spread of the COVID-19 virus, especially in light of what the world is suffering as a result of the spread of the pandemic and the inability of major countries to put an end to its catastrophic consequences, and the National Alliance looks forward to a ceasefire to lead to creating an atmosphere for conducting comprehensive peace negotiations in accordance with the three references.

Second: The National Alliance commends the position of the leadership of legitimacy represented by His Excellency President Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi and the government in their response to the call of the Secretary-General of the United Nations and his full support for them in the steps that will be taken, as well as the support of the Arab Alliance supporting the legitimacy for the call because the cease-fire works to spare the Yemeni people the atrocities that affected most of the world because of the COVID-19 virus.

Third: At the time the National Alliance of the Political Parties and Forces expresses its appreciation for this call coming in the context of supporting the Yemeni people, it affirms that the humanitarian response to it must be free from any political calculations, warning that it will not be permissible for the Houthi militia to deal with this call or use it to reinforce its coup status or harm the three references, and therefore we call on the international community to pressure the Houthi group to stop its continued attacks on al-Jowf, Marib and other fronts, and not to allow it to take advantage of the humanitarian situation to achieve any military gains.

Fourth: Parallel to the ceasefire, we call on the international community to play a more serious role in pressuring the Houthi group to release the abductees in its prisons due to the risks posed by the epidemic, and we call for the implementation of what was agreed upon regarding the exchange of prisoners in full.

Fifth: At the time the National Alliance of the Political Parties and Forces thanks to the Presidency of the Republic and the legitimate government for their initial measures, it emphasizes the need and importance of the government to take exceptional, swift and concrete action on the ground through the speed of equipping quarantine centers and raising the readiness of hospitals in all governorates and doing everything necessary to save the lives of citizens throughout the republic. The Alliance calls on the government to take further measures and follow up with brotherly and friendly countries, foremost of which the Arab Alliance countries and the World Health Organization, in order to obtain the necessary support of medicines and respiratory equipment in appropriate numbers in preparation for facing this epidemic that is sweeping the entire world.

Sixth: The National Alliance of the Political Parties and Forces affirms that the most important impediments to the government's carrying out its duties, especially in these circumstances, are the failure to implement the Riyadh Agreement, which constitutes an important and essential entry point to enhance security and stability in the liberated areas. And we demand the delaying party in its implementation to return to the joint committees urgently and abide by a matrix of the implementation that was signed between the two parties to the agreement. And at the time we thank the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for sponsoring the agreement, we invite it, as a leader of the Arab Alliance, to complete the steps that would implement the agreement, as it would achieve the interests of the Yemeni people in stability, development and social peace.

Seventh: The National Alliance of the Political Parties and Forces affirms its steadfast stance in supporting the efforts of the United Nations seeking to achieve a lasting peace that will not be achieved except by the restoration of the state. And the National Alliance holds the Houthi group backed by Iran responsible for the war imposed on the general Yemeni people that entered its sixth year and demands the Secretary-General of the United Nations and all the international system to exert real and serious pressures and take practical measures that obligate the Houthi militia to the peace requirements in accordance with the three references.

Issued by the National Alliance of Yemeni Political Parties and Forces.

On March 27, 2020.