The Yemeni warring groups, the Saudi-backed Yemeni government and Iran-aligned Houthis have both committed to steps towards a ceasefire and expressed readiness to move forward to conclude a truce through negotiations under UN auspices. According to the UN Special Envoy Hans Grundberg, both parties are currently committed to a set of measures to implement a nationwide ceasefire, improve living conditions in Yemen, and engage in preparations for the resumption of an inclusive political process under the UN.
Yemen conflict began in late 2014 between Iran-backed Houthi rebels and the internationally recognized government of President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi when Houthi militia seized the capital Sanaa and a larger chunk of Yemen’s landmass. A Saudi-led coalition backed the Yemeni government and launched a military offensive against Houthi militia to liberate Yemen and help restore a globally recognized Yemeni government in the country. Unfortunately, the Arab coalition could not liberate Yemen from Houthi occupation but the years-long conflict escalated into a devastating civil war exacerbated by regional rivalries between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Iran. Historically the conflict has caused widespread suffering leading to a severe humanitarian crisis. Over the years, the Yemeni people faced mass displacement, food insecurity, famine, lack of healthcare, and limited access to clean water. However, global humanitarian organizations have been struggling hard to provide for conflict-hit Yemeni people but violence and resistance by the warring armed groups significantly undermined the humanitarian work throughout the past.
Over the years, the United Nations and the global community had been engaged in talks with warring groups to realize peace in the war-hit country but this dream could not be visualized until both groups struck an UN-brokered peace deal in April last year primarily for two months. The peace deal was revived once by the parties but later Houthi rebels refused to extend the peace deal and put forth maximalist demands including payment of salaries to Houthi fighters, which subsequently led to a collapse of a temporary truce. The peace talks again took momentum after the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Iran re-established their ties and Houthi officials visited Riyadh in September this year. That followed a first round of Omani-mediated consultations between Riyadh and Sanaa, running in parallel to UN peace efforts. The months-long efforts and negotiations of the UN Special Envoy for Yemen with regional governments and warring groups including Houdis and the Yemeni Presidential Council have finally borne fruit once again and a truce seems to be becoming a reality.
According to the UN Special Envoy Hans Grunberg, the parties will now engage to work on a consensus roadmap for a ceasefire, which will also include the two sides’ commitment to resume oil exports, pay all public sector salaries, open roads in Taiz and other parts of Yemen, and further ease restrictions on Sanaa Airport and the Hudaydah port. The global endeavours have achieved landmark success and the scope for sustainable peace in war-hit Yemen is very high because the backers of Houthis and the Yemeni government are now on friendly terms and are unlikely to spoil the negotiation at this crucial phase. The Yemeni people have paid a heavy price for regional rivalries and the selfishness of their leaders’ hopefully they will also grasp the dividends attached to the truce and lasting peace in their country.
