Yemeni Prime Minister Maeen Abdul-Malik met today, Monday, with the committees of the parties participating in the Yemeni-Yemeni dialogue hosted by Riyadh under the umbrella of the Gulf Cooperation Council.
The consultations focus on the challenges that were identified during the previous meetings.
glimmer of hope
The Yemeni prime minister had discussed with Saudi Deputy Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz the latest developments in the Yemeni-Yemeni consultations.
The Saudi Deputy Minister of Defense hoped that the armistice, with political efforts, would contribute to reaching a political settlement through Yemeni-Yemeni consultations held under the auspices of the Gulf Cooperation Council.
For his part, the Yemeni prime minister affirmed that the consultations give a glimmer of hope to the Yemeni people, and a great boost to his government's efforts to achieve security and stability.
He pointed out that the Yemeni government counts on the support of the Kingdom, donors in the Gulf Cooperation Council and the international community, in providing needs, achieving economic stability and alleviating the suffering of the Yemeni people.
In an exclusive interview with Al Jazeera, the US special envoy to Yemen, Timothy Lenderking, said that the truce is important, but it is a first step that must be accompanied by commitment to the rest of the items.
He added that the ceasefire would enhance the consultations taking place in Riyadh;
The UN envoy also stressed that only Yemenis are the decision makers about their future.
In Tehran, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said that his country welcomes the decision to cease fire in Yemen;
He called for completing this path by facilitating the delivery of humanitarian aid to Yemenis.
Security Council statement
For its part, the UN Security Council called today, Monday, on all parties involved in the conflict in Yemen to "seize the opportunity of the truce and work with the UN Special Envoy to make progress towards a comprehensive ceasefire and an inclusive political settlement."
This came in a statement issued by the council unanimously, in which it welcomed the truce and stressed the opportunity it provides "to alleviate the human suffering of Yemenis and improve regional stability."
The council's statement called on all parties to "seize the opportunity presented by the armistice and work with the United Nations Special Envoy to make progress towards a comprehensive ceasefire and an inclusive political settlement."
Council members expressed full support for the political consultations of the UN Special Envoy, and emphasized the urgency of a comprehensive Yemeni-led and owned process, under the auspices of the UN.
They also expressed "deep concern" about the humanitarian crisis in Yemen, and stressed the urgent need to fund the humanitarian response.
Yemen has been witnessing for more than 7 years a continuous war between pro-government forces backed by a Saudi-led military coalition, and the Iran-backed Houthi group, which has controlled several governorates, including the capital, Sanaa, since September 2014.