Yemen has entered its third month of calm and cessation of fighting. A two-month truce that began on April 2 and expired on June 2 has been extended for two more months. Weapons have fallen silent, and rivals have engaged in UN-sponsored peace talks. The full implementation of the truce will hopefully pave the way for a permanent ceasefire and political negotiations on resolving the seven-year-old conflict.
Since 2015, Yemen has not seen a truce similar to the current one, which is still holding, improving the lives of civilians nationwide. This peace breakthrough is a priceless relief for civilians, a diplomatic success for the UN envoy for Yemen, and an opportunity for Yemen's newly formed leadership to prepare for a new chapter of conflict. But the pause of violence does not necessarily mean a passage to lasting peace and final consensus.
