The Yemen conflict, in which Riyadh leads a military coalition, is progressing, according to Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister on Wednesday, but more work remains to be done, including the restoration of a truce and the transition to a long-term ceasefire.
Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud stated during a panel discussion at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, that a political settlement was the only way to end the eight-year conflict.
Al Saud claimed that the kingdom was also looking for a method to start a conversation with Iran in order to settle their disputes over a number of conflicts, including the one in Yemen.
Leading Sunni Muslim and Shia powers in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia and Iran, have been competing for influence for many years. This rivalry has been reflected in regional events like the conflicts in Yemen, Syria, and Lebanon.
Riyadh and Tehran severed diplomatic ties in 2016, but since then, representatives from the two nations have met directly five times, with the most recent round taking place in April.
Hans Grundberg, the UN representative for Yemen, stated in a panel discussion that although substantial steps have recently been achieved, ending the war in Yemen “will not be easy” and mistrust still exists.
Yemen, the most impoverished nation on the Arabian Peninsula, has been devastated by the battle between Houthi rebels sponsored by Iran and pro-government troops backed by a military coalition led by Saudi Arabia since 2014.
Grundberg stated on Monday that he was heartened by what he called a stepped-up diplomatic effort to broker a fresh cease-fire in the conflict there.
Grundberg referred to a potential “step change in the course” of the conflict and noted the growing diplomacy around Yemen, particularly including Saudi Arabia and Oman, calling it “a possibility that should not be wasted and that demands appropriate actions.”
According to Grundberg, the parties’ stances and “options for mutually acceptable solutions” have been clarified as a result of recent diplomatic meetings.
Although both sides had demonstrated “general military restraint,” he issued a warning nonetheless, saying that “a small misstep might spark a cycle of violence that will be impossible to reverse.”
Houthi rebels, who rule over Yemen’s capital Sanaa and other significant population centers in the country’s north, and the Yemeni government reached an agreement on a United Nations-sponsored ceasefire in April 2022.
Despite several violations, the ceasefire lasted for six months. Grundberg reminded the UN Security Council that since it ended on October 2 “the general military situation in Yemen has remained calm.” There hasn’t been a significant escalation,
But he said that “regrettably, there have also been civilian casualties” as a result of the limited military engagement on the front lines.
A new cycle of violence might be sparked by such conduct, the Swedish envoy said, “coupled with harsh language and escalatory political and economic measures.”
To “actively endeavor to extend the longest period of relative tranquility we have witnessed in the past eight years,” he pleaded with all parties.
