HOPE IT WILL BE THE ‘YEAR OF YEMEN’ IF HOUTHIS WITHDRAW

▶ UN envoy Martin Griffiths is optimistic forces will soon begin retreat from Hodeidah prompting new peace talks

Movement towards implementing a much-delayed first stage of an agreed withdrawal from Hodeidah could pave the way for further talks in the coming months, a Yemeni government official has said.

The Iran-backed Houthi rebels and Yemen’s internationally recognised government agreed in December to a prisoner exchange deal and a ceasefire in the Red Sea port city that would lead to a withdrawal of forces from the city throughout January.

However, it appears that ambiguity in the text of the document led rebels to refuse to leave and the United Nations – that brokered the deal – has since struggled to get the plan implemented.

But Martin Griffiths, UN Special Envoy for Yemen, said he believes the process of withdrawing forces from Hodeidah could begin soon and said that both sides “are working very constructively”.

A senior Yemeni official told

The National that this could get diplomatic efforts back on track.

“We hope to get some implementation in Hodeidah. There are some signals that it’s happening. This will open the door for discussions for the next round of peace talks,” the official yesterday said.

The withdrawal of troops could occur early next month, the official said.

While he did not give an idea of when new talks could be held, the official said the government was not expecting discussions during Ramadan, which is likely to start on May 5.

During his visit to London last week, Mr Griffiths met Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, Adel Al Jubeir, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, and Jeremy Hunt, British Foreign Secretary. He also met veteran US diplomat David Satterfield. The four represent the Quad of nations support group.

“I think we can soon begin the process of redeployment in Hodeidah and, frankly, both parties are working very constructively. And it’s helped by you [Mr Hunt] and the diplomatic consensus that you bring together to make it happen. It’s the year of Yemen, I hope,” Mr Griffiths said.

The Quad nations meeting urged the immediate implementation of the Hodeidah Agreement and, in particular, called on the Houthis to withdraw from the ports of Saleef, Ras Issa, and Hodeidah, according to a statement by the UK Foreign Office.

The Quad members expect the implementation will be under way when the next UN Security Council briefing takes place on May 15.

The ministers also underlined that the firing of ballistic missiles and unmanned drones made and provided by Iran “by Houthi forces into neighbouring countries posed threats to regional security and prolonged the conflict”, the statement said.

They also expressed full support for “Saudi Arabia and its legitimate national security concerns, and called for an immediate end to such attacks by Houthi forces and their allies”.

The December agreement in Stockholm was part of confidence-building measures aimed at avoiding an assault on Hodeidah by the Arab Coalition in trying to restore Yemen’s internationally recognised government and pave the way for political talks.

On April 15, Mr Griffiths told the UN Security Council that Michael Lollesgaard, the Danish general heading an observer team in Hodeidah and chairman of the Redeployment Co-ordination Committee at UN, had secured an agreement to Phase 1 of the withdrawal.

The troop withdrawal was due to be complete by January 7 but stalled over a disagreement on who would control Hodeidah.

Access to the port is crucial to Yemen’s commercial and aid supplies and is a lifeline for about 30 million people.

It has become a focal point of the fighting since last summer, raising concern that an all-out assault could disrupt supply lines and trigger mass starvation in the war-torn country.

There are concerns that if the coalition-backed forces advance into the city, the Houthis would sabotage the port facilities as they retreated.

The war in Yemen has claimed thousands of lives and plunged parts of the country into famine. Cholera cases have risen sharply and many people have been left destitute.

The withdrawal of troops could occur early next month, a senior Yemeni official said