Handshake at Rimbo

Mercifully, the talks at Rimbo between the Yemen warring parties have resulted in an urgently-needed handshake. The United Nations hopes that the handshake between Yemen’s Foreign Minister, Khaled al-Yamani, and Houthi’s spokesman, Mohammad Abdul Salam, at the end of the week-long negotiations in the Swedish locality on Thursday can be a starting point for peace in the poorest country of the Middle East that has been suffering from war for around four years, and for ending the ‘world’s worst humanitarian crisis’ there. The government forces and the Houthis have agreed to a ceasefire for the flashpoint city of Hodeidah and its surrounding governorate, and to withdrawal of their troops.

The millions of Yemenis trapped in the crisis could not have afforded the firing to cease any later. A staggering eight million people — a number greater than the entire population of Switzerland — is on the verge of famine. The Yemeni riyal has depreciated by nearly 180 per cent in recent months, further fuelling the already soaring prices of essential commodities. Food items have gone dearer by about 70 per cent, and the prices of petrol, diesel and cooking gas have seen unprecedented spikes.

International powers have all hailed the breakthrough. The US believes peace is possible. Iran hopes that the next round of talks — scheduled to be held in late January to focus on a framework for negotiations on a political process — would bring a final agreement. Saudi Arabia has, however, issued a reminder carrying cautioning undertones that withdrawal of Houthi forces from Hodeidah is still to be ensured.

The beginning is encouraging though, the task ahead is not easy. Turning the Rimbo agreement into a reality on the ground requires a lot of hard work, a whole lot of sincerity and all the needed care, lest nothing should go wrong.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 16^th, 2018.

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