British authorities have chosen Abda Sharif, a lawyer and diplomat, as the United Kingdom's new ambassador to Yemen. She is scheduled to assume her duties in September, succeeding Richard Oppenheim, who will be moving to a different diplomatic position, according to the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
Sharif brings a wealth of experience to her new role, having most recently served as the head of the Iraq and Arabian Peninsula Department in the Middle East and North Africa Directorate at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. From 2012 to 2016, she held the position of deputy ambassador to Lebanon, and in 2011, she led the UK Office in Benghazi, Libya.
Expressing her excitement about the appointment, Sharif took to Twitter, stating, "Delighted to be the next UK Ambassador to #Yemen. Look forward to returning to the Middle East, and to working with the excellent @UKinYemen," referring to the UK's embassy in Yemen.
The appointment comes at a crucial time as the United Nations' special envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, and the international community, including the UK, intensify efforts to pressure the Yemeni government and the Houthi rebels into reaching an agreement to end the prolonged civil war.
Despite extensive international endeavors, the Houthis have yet to formally renew a long-term cease-fire brokered by the UN, which expired in October of last year. Moreover, they continue their drone and missile attacks on oil facilities in government-controlled regions, causing a halt in exports that serve as the country's primary source of income.
The Houthis have expressed that they would only cease their assaults on the facilities if the Yemeni government shares oil revenues with them and pays public employees in the areas they control.
Meanwhile, the Houthi militia has launched recent drone and ground attacks in government-controlled territories across Yemen. Tragic incidents continue to occur, with reports of a Houthi sniper killing a man in the Saber district of the besieged city of Taiz. The victim, identified as Saeed Ahmed Abdullah, 43, tragically passed away while being transported to the hospital.
Beyond Taiz, sporadic clashes between the Houthis and government forces have been observed in several contested regions. Residents of Taiz have long complained that the UN-brokered truce has failed to halt arbitrary bombardments and ground attacks by the Houthis, nor alleviate the city's ongoing siege.
With Abda Sharif assuming her role as the UK's ambassador to Yemen, the hope is that diplomatic efforts will be further intensified in the pursuit of a peaceful resolution to the devastating conflict in the country.