Yemeni consultations start in Riyadh… and anticipation for the Houthis’ participation

Aden: «The Gulf»

Yesterday, at the headquarters of the General Secretariat of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, the Yemeni-Yemeni consultations were launched, under the auspices of the Gulf Cooperation Council, and with an international presence represented by the UN and US envoys and international organizations, and hundreds of Yemeni personalities, representing parties, organizations and community groups, while ambiguity surrounding the participation of The Houthis, who previously announced that they would not attend the consultations, but there are regional and international efforts to persuade them to participate as one of the main parties in the conflict.

Yemenis view the held consultations with optimism, hoping that the participants will put the first practical steps towards resolving the crisis that has deepened in Yemen, and stopping the war, which has entered its eighth year, in the country exhausted by an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe. The consultations are scheduled to discuss 6 axes, including military, political, humanitarian and social recovery. The Yemeni-Yemeni consultations also aim to open humanitarian corridors and achieve stability.

for Yemen

In the opening speech of the consultations, the Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Dr. Nayef Al-Hajraf, said that it has been proven that there is no solution but peaceful and that the war and its seven years of hardship cannot achieve the desired security and stability. There is no solution except what the people of Yemen decide.

He considered that the Riyadh Agreement constitutes a road map in Yemen and the completion of its provisions is a Yemeni demand, and the success of Yemeni consultations is not an option. It is a reality that must be achieved.

Al-Hajraf called for the need to renounce all causes of division and internal differences, and to contribute seriously and effectively to achieving the required and urgent national consensus, in order to crystallize a clear-cut map for the future to restore Yemen’s stability, development and prosperity for its people.

He said that the efforts of the international community constitute international support to end the conflict in Yemen, noting that the people of Yemen from the capital Sanaa to Hadhramaut, from Aden to Mahra, from Ma’rib to Mukalla, from Taiz to Al-Bayda, and from Hodeidah to Shabwa, and in every governorate, city and village, they are following and hopeful. To reach a common word, hoping that the consultations represent an opportunity to achieve peace in Yemen.

Peace is not impossible

Al-Hajraf stressed that the road to security and peace in Yemen is not impossible, even if the challenges are great, and it is not far, even if the distances are long, and it is not an option, even if there are many options. Rather, it is a single and lofty goal, so that Yemen and its brotherly people can enjoy security and stability.

The Secretary of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Hussein Taha, said: We have made efforts to continue resolving the Yemeni crisis, and dialogue is the only option to resolve the crisis. To engage in consultations to achieve peace, today’s consultations are an opportunity for all Yemenis to reach peace.

Desire to end the war

For his part, the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General of the United Nations in Yemen, Hans Grundberg, announced that “cooperation with regional organizations will contribute to solving the crisis in Yemen.”

He added, “We need all possible support to reach a comprehensive solution in Yemen. Riyadh led Yemeni dialogues that led to positive results.

The UN envoy stated that the Yemenis’ losses are huge due to the ongoing war. The Yemeni people want a just and lasting peace. Grundberg added, the Yemenis assured the United Nations of their desire to end the war.

In this context, the US envoy to Yemen, Tim Lenderking, announced before the conference that the United States supports the Yemeni parties reaching a comprehensive peaceful solution, praising the coalition’s decision to stop hostilities in Yemen.

The US envoy stated that the Yemeni consultations represent an international commitment to make the situation more stable.

“We encourage the Yemeni parties to work with the United Nations to reach a peaceful solution,” he added, praising the Gulf Cooperation Council’s support for Yemen.

The US envoy said that his visit to Yemen was unfortunate due to the conditions in which the Yemeni people are living, adding: “We hope that the consultations will represent an opportunity to improve the lives of Yemenis.”

In his speech, the Swedish Special Envoy to Yemen, Peter Semneby, announced that the current consultations are the largest of their kind since the start of the crisis.

He explained that the consultations should be inclusive of all groups, including women, expressing his hope that the Yemeni consultations will represent an opportunity to discuss all solutions.

The representative of the Arab League said: “We hope that the Yemeni consultations will emerge from a road map.”