The United Nations special envoy to Yemen, Martin Griffiths, has called for peace talks in Geneva. Speaking at the Security Council last week, he announced that talks will take place on the 6 September in Geneva. Mr Griffiths is aiming to create a framework for peace talks and confidence-building measures amongst all parties. This is the first time in 2 years that peace talks are to be held between Saudi-backed forces and Houthi forces. The protracted and devastating conflict that has now been ongoing for over 3 years and has resulted in 22 million people, 75 per cent of the population, requiring some form of humanitarian assistance.
Hodeidah
The announcement about peace talks came against the backdrop of more tragic destruction. In the city of Hodeidah the entrance of a hospital, a fishing port, and a fish market were hit by airstrikes claiming around 60 lives, leaving more than 100 people injured.
The port city has proven to be an epicentre of the conflict. It is a port town which lends itself well to strategic interests and has been held by the Houthis since 2014.
The UN have issued a strong warning against attacks on Hodeidah; approximately 80 per cent of Yemen’s aid including vital food and medical supplies is imported into its port. Increased or escalating attacks there would have a severe impact on the already dire humanitarian crisis.
The “OCHA warns that sustained hostilities in Hodeidah city, interruptions to the port operations, which are critical for vital imports of food and fuel or a siege of the city would be catastrophic.”
Peace talks
Previous attempts at peace talks in 2016 broke down when the Yemeni delegation walked out of peace talks in Kuwait. Houthi fighters and the party of Ali Abdullah Saleh rejected the UN’s suggested plan for peace, saying that it was incomplete. At the time they stated that an appropriate peace deal would agree to a new executive administration, including a new president and government for Yemen. However, the talks reached stalemate and both sides did not reach an agreement.
Renewed hope
Despite rejecting peace plans in 2016, the parties suggested that they would be open to renegotiating in future. It seems that time is now, and with the humanitarian crisis deepening daily, it could not come sooner. Martin Griffiths said,
“I am very conscious that each day costs lives which might have been saved,”
Both parties so far are in agreement to attend the talks. The Houthi forces have agreed to attend the September talks. Their spokesperson said,
“We are not opposed to travelling to any neutral country to take part in such consultations,”
Although, he also expressed having low expectations for the outcomes of the talks, saying that he did not sense,
“any serious or real stance by the aggressors towards reaching a political solution”.
On the other side, an official said that the Saudi-backed government was also prepared to attend the talks next month.
The willingness of both parties to return to the discussion table gives renewed hopes for peace in Yemen.