THE Yemeni civil war — exacerbated by the Saudi-led coalition’s military intervention in March 2015 — has been an unmitigated disaster for the people of this impoverished country. Around 400,000 people have been killed in the conflict as per UN figures, mostly due to hunger and disease, while non-combatants have also perished in air strikes and bombings. Therefore, the reported truce between all warring parties in Yemen should be welcomed. The ceasefire came into effect on April 2 to mark the holy month of Ramazan and is supposed to last two months. The Yemeni government, supported by the Saudis, as well as the Iran-backed Houthi rebels, who control the capital and large parts of the country, have both pledged to honour it, and it is hoped all sides stick to this pledge for the sake of the Yemeni people.

Of course in a complicated conflict like Yemen, which involves external players as well as local stakeholders, holding the truce will be a challenge. But this rare opportunity for peace must not be lost. The primary goal should be to ensure humanitarian aid gets to those who need it most, as around 30m Yemenis are said to be in need of assistance. Secondly, the cooling-off period must be used by all combatants to take stock of the situation. It should be realised that seven years of war have given nothing but crisis after crisis to the country, and it is time a negotiated settlement was reached to permanently bring peace to Yemen. Without a fair power-sharing deal that allows all the country’s tribes and confessional groups to participate in governance, long-lasting peace will not be possible in Yemen. Moreover, Saudi Arabia and Iran, both of which are seen to be fighting a proxy war in Yemen, should use their influence with their respective Yemeni partners to ensure that the truce is successful, and that peace talks to encourage a negotiated settlement to the country’s civil war are given fresh impetus.

Published in Dawn, April 6th, 2022