The head of Yemen’s new presidential council has said he will end the seven-year war through a peace process in his first speech since taking power by the Saudi-backed president this week. “The leadership council promises the people to end the war and achieve peace through a comprehensive peace process that guarantees the people of Yemen all their expectations,” Rasad al-Alimi said in a televised speech on Friday. Riyadh-based President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi ousted the council and fired his deputy on Thursday as Saudi Arabia moved to strengthen an alliance against the Houthi rebels amid UN-led efforts to revitalization of peace negotiations. Al-Alimi, who has close ties to both Riyadh and Yemen’s prominent Islah bloc, said in a speech that the council would work to address “challenges in all parts of Yemen without discrimination.” , without exception”. The war has killed tens of thousands, destroyed the economy and pushed Yemen to the brink of starvation. The conflict is widely seen as a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Houthis aligned with Iran say they are fighting a corrupt system and foreign aggression.
“Desperate effort”
Riyadh, which has struggled to pull out of the war in Yemen, has urged the council to negotiate with the Houthis under the auspices of the United Nations “for a final and comprehensive solution”. There was no immediate response from the Houthis to al-Alimi’s speech. Houthi chief negotiator Mohamed Abdulsalam responded to the formation of the council on Thursday, calling it a farce and a “desperate attempt to restructure the mercenary ranks to push them further.” Saudi Arabia has announced $ 3 billion in financial assistance to the Saudi-backed government following Khandi’s announcement. The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) ministers have expressed support for the council and the start of UN-supervised talks with the Houthis “for a final and comprehensive political solution”. Yemen’s warring parties have agreed on a two-month ceasefire that began last Saturday.
