Delegates from the internationally recognised Yemeni government sat down on Friday with Houthi rebels for talks chaired by the Red Cross, said the UN envoy to Yemen.
Martin Griffiths urged both parties to “release detainees swiftly” and “bring relief to thousands of Yemeni families”.
The aim of the talks is to build on the occasional releases of dozens of prisoners over the past two years and implement the war’s “first official large-scale exchange”.
The two sides committed earlier this year to swap over 1,400 detainees.
It was announced earlier this week that the delegations, which had been meeting in Jordan, would fly to Switzerland for “week-long” talks. On Friday however, the office of the UN envoy said it was unclear how long the discussions would take.
The Iran-allied Houthis and Yemen’s Saudi-backed government are trying to reach an agreement to end a war that started in 2014. Over 112,000 have been killed, and the conflict has led to a humanitarian crisis in what is the Arabian Peninsula’s poorest country.
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Could Switzerland help end the conflict in Yemen?
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Some experts believe that neutral Switzerland might have a role to play in bringing peace to war-torn Yemen.
Swiss army identifies gaps in civil aircraft collision warning system
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The Cyber-Defence Campus of the Swiss defence ministry has found two vulnerabilities in the collision warning system for civil aviation.
Swiss parents rely on savings accounts for their children instead of investment funds
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According to the survey, over 60% of parents start saving in the first year of life, and around 10% even before the child is born.
Half the Swiss army’s M113 armoured vehicles rehabilitated
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Half of the Swiss army's 248 M113 grenadier armoured vehicles are back on the road after being temporarily decommisioned.
Voters in Zurich reject pay rise for local politicians
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Local parliamentarians in Zurich will not receive a pay hike after 53.2% of voters in the city came out against the plan on Sunday.
Minimum wage narrowly rejected in canton Basel Country
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The Unia trade union initiative had called for a minimum wage of CHF22 ($24.20) per hour for all employees working in the canton.
Bernese voters accept counter-proposal to solar initiative
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In the Swiss canton of Bern, there will still be no solar obligation for roof renovations in the future, but there will be one for large car parks.
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Swiss security companies active in North Africa and Middle East
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Operators of so-called mercenaries are obliged by law to report their activities to the Swiss foreign ministry, which makes them public. In 2019, a total of 31 companies reported 478 missions – all of them legal. The numbers of activities were largely the same as 2018. The foreign ministry department responsible for monitoring mercenary activity…
Pilatus challenges ‘export ban’ to Saudi Arabia and UAE
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The Swiss aircraft manufacturer takes the foreign ministry to court for banning the company from operating in Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
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