There have already been several failed attempts to defuse the conflict in Yemen, which has triggered a humanitarian crisis in the Arab world’s poorest country.
“This is really our last chance,” Ould Cheikh Ahmed told reporters in New York. “The war in Yemen must be brought to an end.”
The UN Security Council welcomed the announcement by Ould Cheikh Ahmed and urged parties to the conflict to “immediately reduce violence and refrain from any action that could lead to increased tensions, in order to pave the way for a cessation of hostilities.”
Ould Cheikh Ahmed said prominent Yemeni figures would be enlisted to cooperate with a de-escalation and coordination committee on the cessation of hostilities and “to report on progress and security incidents.”
He said the peace talks would focus on five areas: a withdrawal of militia and armed groups; a handover of heavy weaponry to the state; interim security arrangements; restoration of state institutions; and resumption of inclusive political dialogue.
Yemen has been under military attacks by Saudi Arabia and its allies since March 2015.
The Saudi military strikes were launched in a failed attempt to undermine the popular Houthi Ansarullah movement and bring the former fugitive president, Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, back to power.
More than 8,300 people, among them 2,236 children, have been killed and 16,015 others injured since the start of the attacks.
The strikes have also taken a heavy toll on the impoverished country’s facilities and infrastructure, destroying many hospitals, schools, and factories.
Human Rights Watch said on Wednesday that the United States, Britain, France and others should suspend all weapons sales to Saudi Arabia over the unlawful air strikes.
The Saudi-led coalition has targeted civilians with air strikes and some of the attacks could be crimes against humanity, UN sanctions monitors told the Security Council in January.