After receiving assurances from United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, that Al Houthis will adhere to UN Security Council Resolution 2216, Yemeni President Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi reluctantly decided to return to talks taking place in Kuwait.
But an understandably frustrated government delegation says they are fed up with a lack of seriousness on the part of the Iran-backed Al Houthis to stick to previous promises.
The UN resolution calls for the militant group to pull out of cities it has occupied since 2014, when it stormed the capital Sana’a and then later expanded across the country. It also calls for their disarmament and the return of the internationally recognised government of Hadi to the capital.
Instead of discussing the application of the UN resolution, Al Houthis have been trying to drag out the talks by insisting on a unity government as a precondition. They believe that if a unity government is established, they will be able to have a say and possibly derail the future implementation of the stipulated points in 2216.
This is clearly a stalling tactic as the government continues to face challenges on the ground, fighting a two-front battle against both, Al Houthi insurgency and repeated sabotage attacks by Al Qaida and Daesh (the self-proclaimed Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant) in liberated territories. While international pressure has intensified to force the parties to reach a solution, it is equally important that the same pressure is applied on Al Houthis to honour the promises made. If not, the talks will draw out and the Yemeni civilian population will continue to pay the price.
