Unbanded Yemen faction pleads for fresh United Nations strategy in peace negotiation efforts
In the ongoing conflict in Yemen, the UN special envoy, Hans Grundberg, has condemned the Sanaa authorities for arbitrarily detaining UN personnel in Sanaa and Hodeidah. This latest development comes as Saleh Al Haj, head of the Southern Transitional Council (STC) foreign affairs department, has called for a shift in the UN-led political process, deeming it unfit for purpose.
Al Haj, who also appealed to UN delegates and foreign diplomats to relocate from Houthi-controlled Sanaa to Aden, where the internationally-recognized government is based, expressed concern over the stalled peace process. He suggested that a new approach is needed to deal with Yemen and the Houthis, stating that the only way to effectively engage with the Houthis is to minimize their strength so they come to the table in the spirit of mediation.
The fighting on the front line has intensified in recent weeks, with the STC troops facing a well-supplied enemy that continues to enjoy Iranian backing. The Houthis, who control most of northern and western Yemen, including Sanaa, possess large-scale stocks of weapons and also have access to Iranian drones and missiles.
The STC, a popular front that brings together cross-society groups in Aden and the southern coastal areas, is facing hostilities that prevent them from exporting or operating oilfields needed for revenue. Meanwhile, the Houthi group has expanded beyond a militia and now controls various institutions in Yemen, including the military, education system, and the culture in the areas they control.
The crisis in Yemen has been exacerbated by the Houthis' arrest of UN staff and their hindrance of aid and payment access. This has led to a humanitarian crisis, with the need for new donors to aid Yemen due to the withdrawal of the US, UK, and Germany. Aden is being proposed as an alternative for aid delivery, with a new mechanism being developed to get aid to the people.
In a recent development, the Houthi prime minister, Ahmed Ghaleb Al Rahwi, along with nine ministers and two cabinet officials, were killed in an Israeli strike last month. The Iranian diplomat currently coordinating Iran's support for the Houthi rebels in Yemen is Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi; he recently met with senior Houthi official Mohammed Abdelsalam in Muscat, Oman, to discuss regional developments and coordination.
Despite these challenges, Al Haj described the Houthis as having a mentality of domination and not interested in compromise. He reiterated that the only way to resolve the conflict is through a negotiated settlement that addresses the root causes of the crisis and ensures a peaceful, stable, and united Yemen.
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