Al-Alimi: Any peace with the Houthis without guarantees will bring back violence
Yemen's Presidential Council leader Rashad Al-Alimi asserts that any peace agreement with the Houthis lacking enforcement guarantees will lead to renewed violence.
On Tuesday, Rashad Al-Alimi, the head of Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council, expressed serious concerns regarding the prospects of a peace deal with the Houthi group. He stated that without concrete guarantees for implementation, any agreement would likely lead to the resurgence of violence in Yemen. He emphasized the need for a comprehensive and lasting peace that ensures the sovereignty of the state and does not merely repeat past mistakes that led to renewed conflicts. This message was delivered during a meeting in Riyadh with an EU peace institute delegation, highlighting Yemen's dire need for a sustainable resolution to its protracted conflict.
Al-Alimi further criticized the Houthis, labeling them not merely as a faction in a conflict but as a closed ideological group whose agenda is deeply rooted in discrimination and a claimed divine right to rule, undermining the principle of equal citizenship. He called for necessary guarantees, including the dismantling of the group's military capabilities and ideological frameworks. Additionally, he stressed the importance of enshrining anti-sectarianism and anti-racism in Yemen's constitution and law, calling for a robust state capable of resisting the imposition of power by force.
Drawing lessons from European peace experiences, Al-Alimi warned that agreements that overlook state integrity tend to result in only temporary ceasefires rather than lasting peace. He pointed out that historical attempts to reach a resolution that failed to recognize these critical elements have led to the repetition of warfare, and he urged all involved parties to understand that any meaningful peace effort must prioritize the state's stability and dismantle the foundations of conflict. As of now, the Houthis had not provided any immediate response to Al-Alimi's statements, indicating the complexity of the ongoing conflict and the urgent need for a strategic approach to peace-making in Yemen.