Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made in concluding a comprehensive and inclusive peace agreement in Yemen.

The UK welcomes the unilateral ceasefire announced by Saudi Arabia on 8 April following the call on 25 March by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres for a cease to hostilities in Yemen. To ensure the success of this ceasefire, it must be underpinned by a political deal between the conflict parties. We fully support the efforts of the Secretary-General and the UN Special Envoy Martin Griffiths's call for all parties to engage in urgent political talks and de-escalate the conflict. Now that the Saudi unilateral ceasefire has been extended it is more important than ever that both the Houthis and the Government of Yemen seize this opportunity for progress in Yemen. A permanent ceasefire and co-operation with the UN-led political process is the best defence we have against a potentially devastating outbreak of COVID-19.