The United Nations’ Yemen mediator has arrived in Yemen’s capital as part of a bid to subdue heightened tensions in his first visit in almost two years.

UN mediator Hans Grundberg aims to “improve the environment for resolution of the conflict [and] prepare the ground for concrete actions for advancing the peace process” in a series of national and regional meetings in the coming days, his spokesperson Ismini Palla told Reuters.

Grundberg, a Swedish diplomat, will also push for the release of UN staff and others currently being held there, Palla said.