Hopes for a long-sought peace in war-torn Yemen received a significant boost on Thursday as a delegation of ten members from the Iran-backed Houthi militia embarked on their first official talks in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, since the conflict's outbreak in 2014.
Mahdi Al-Mashat, the Houthi political chief, expressed their commitment to the peace process, stating, "Peace was and still is our first option, and everyone must work to achieve it." This development marks a crucial step in the ongoing negotiations facilitated by Oman, running parallel to the United Nations' peace efforts. The initial round of talks took place in April when Saudi representatives visited Sanaa, the capital of Yemen. Despite the official expiration of a UN-brokered ceasefire last October, it has largely held.
The Yemeni crisis began in 2014 when the Houthi rebels seized control of Sanaa, leading to a Saudi-led Arab coalition intervention in March the following year to support the internationally recognized government. The conflict has resulted in the displacement of millions and triggered one of the world's most severe humanitarian crises in a nation already grappling with decades of instability and strife. According to UN agencies and 91 non-governmental organizations, a staggering 21.6 million Yemenis, constituting 75 percent of the population, are in dire need of humanitarian assistance.
Although the six-month ceasefire that expired last October has been mostly observed, progress towards a lasting peace has been slow since the Saudi delegation's visit to Sanaa earlier this year. Ali Al-Qhoom, a member of the Houthi political council, expressed optimism about the mediation efforts and the role played by Oman in achieving peace in Yemen.
Majed Al-Madhaji, the head of the Sanaa Center for Strategic Studies think tank, emphasized the significance of the Houthi delegation's visit to Riyadh, describing it as a move from behind-the-scenes negotiations to a more public, legitimate forum. This shift signifies an advanced step towards ending Saudi Arabia's direct involvement in Yemen and the Houthi's acknowledgment of Saudi Arabia as a mediator.
Efforts to achieve peace in Yemen received a further boost with the surprise rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iran, brokered by China in March, ending a seven-year period of severed diplomatic ties between the two regional powers.
Among the key demands put forth by the Houthi delegation are the payment of civil servant salaries by the Yemeni government in exile and the reopening of Sanaa airport for new destinations. The airport had remained closed until last year when commercial flights resumed to Jordan and Egypt.