UN Yemen envoy Martin Griffiths arrived in Sanaa today, a major step toward reopening talks to end the war before the end of the year.
Why it matters: Griffiths’ arrival in Yemen’s rebel-held capital is a sign that negotiators have made some progress on the “confidence-building measures” for a peace deal that the UN called for at the General Assembly meeting in September. They include getting Yemeni President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi to pay the salaries of civil servants in Houthi-controlled areas, giving the UN control of the vital port of Hodeidah and exchanging prisoners between the warring groups.
