Arab Parliament calls for political process to secure peace in Yemen
The Arab Parliament yesterday called for the terms of the UN-brokered ceasefire deal between Yemen’s warring parties to be carried out in full.
The parliament, which is part of the Arab League, repeated its endorsement of the December 13 agreement between Yemen’s government and the Houthi rebels.
The deal calls for the “rapid mutual withdrawal” of fighters from Hodeidah and its three ports and includes agreements on a prisoner swap and the formation of a committee to negotiate the future of Taez city.
Neither of the last two terms have come to fruition.
Hodeidah is the main entry point for about 70 per cent of imports and humanitarian aid to Yemen, where five years of war have spawned the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.
While the two sides agreed to withdraw their forces, they have been divided over who will run the port of Hodeidah once their fighters pull out.
Arab Parliament members said the “agreement is an essential element of the peace process in Yemen and all parties should implement it”.
They called on the rebels to release all prisoners and those that are under house arrest in areas under their control.
“We are following closely Yemen’s political, economic and social developments,” the parliament said.
It said peace in Yemen could only be achieved through a political process.
The UN Security Council must take “responsibility in pressuring the Houthis to respect their commitment to the deal,” the parliament said.
Progress on the UN-brokered ceasefire has stalled due to a lack of trust between Yemen’s warring parties.
The Arab Parliament also condemned the Houthis’ seizure of assets belonging to 35 government officials, including Yemen’s Parliament Speaker, Sultan Al Burkani.
“We call on the United Nations to take immediate and urgent action to these illegal acts against the people of Yemen,” the parliament said.