POSITIVE NEWS FROM SWEDEN ON YEMEN
Right from the beginning, the Saudi-led Arab Coalition’s sole intent has been to spread justice and uphold the legitimacy in Yemen. The sustained military pressure against the Houthi militants along the Red Sea Coast and surrounding areas in Hodeidah has paid off. The coup by the Houthi militias against the people of Yemen, and the manner in which they grabbed power with the help of external powers achieved nothing. Instead, it has left the nation on the edge of mass starvation. Cornered, the Houthis are realising that the negotiation table, and not brutal violence, is the way forward.
The political progress, including the status of Hodeidah, reached during the Sweden Consultations is indeed welcome news.
As Dr Anwar Bin Mohammed Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, points out, the road ahead remains bumpy but the signiicant breakthrough will make peace possible. The UNled Yemeni owned process is necessary to sort out contending aspirations. Yet established references, including UNSCR 2216, are essential.
The Coalition has kept its commitment to maintain the low of humanitarian assistance and avoid damaging the port.
The earlier gestures by the Houthis regarding negotiations proved to be deceptive as they used the time to regroup and inlict more suffering on the Yemeni population. The adamant refusal by the Houthi rebels to vacate necessitated the need for military pressure, in order to preserve the unity of the Yemeni territories.
The UAE’S keenness to reduce the suffering of the Yemenis is in compliance with the nation’s desire to establish growth, security and stability in Yemen.
The UAE has been continuously engaged in providing humanitarian relief assistance and support the Yemeni people so as to alleviate the dire humanitarian conditions caused by the serious violations of the Houthi militias.
The political breakthrough achieved during the meetings in Sweden will have a positive impact on the humanitarian situation in Yemen.
The 5,000 Emirati soldiers and Yemeni forces who valiantly stood ready to liberate Hodeidah Port and the United Nations Special Envoy for Yemen, Martin Grifiths, deserve huge appreciation for their efforts.
It’s important to continue the peace initiatives and ensure the stability and prosperity of the Yemeni people. This must be attained through a sustainable political solution as per UN Resolution 2216.
Dr Gargash indicated the situation best by tweeting: “Longer term we seek a Yemen at peace with itself & its neighbors. Where the State is effective not powerful parallel militias controlled externally. A Yemen looking towards the future with conidence.”