Houthi Delegation in Saudi Arabia for the First Time Since the War — Is it Finally Peace for Yemen?

For the first time since the outbreak of the Yemeni war in 2014, Saudi Arabia announced on September 14, 2023, an invitation to a delegation from the Houthi militia to visit the kingdom to discuss achieving a “permanent and comprehensive ceasefire in Yemen and reaching a sustainable and acceptable political solution acceptable to all Yemeni parties.”

The Houthi militia also announced the departure of a delegation with the Omani mediation team from Sana’a, aboard an Omani plane bound for Saudi Arabia, to continue previous negotiations.

 

Continued Ceasefire Talks

The scheduled talks are a continuation of meetings and discussions conducted by the Saudi team, led by Riyadh’s Ambassador to Yemen, Mohammed al-Jaber, with the participation of Oman in Sana’a, during the period from April 8 to April 13, 2023.

During the negotiations held in April in Sana’a, discussions revolved around extending the ceasefire until the end of 2023 as a prelude to reaching a peace agreement without details, amid speculation that it could lead to the end of the Yemeni war.

But this time, Saudi Arabia is clearly stating that the Riyadh talks aim for a “permanent and comprehensive ceasefire” and a “sustainable political solution,” indicating its intention to end this war to focus on its economic projects, which have been hindered by Houthi attacks on the kingdom.

Oman, bordering Yemen, has been attempting to settle disputes between the warring parties for years and, on a broader scale, between Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United States.

Peace initiatives gained momentum when Saudi Arabia and Iran, mediated by China, agreed to restore their relations.

It was evident that the Saudi-Iranian normalization agreement, sponsored by China on March 10, 2023, had as its primary goal the end of the Yemeni war. Therefore, it was not surprising that negotiations began behind the scenes to end the Yemen conflict, or at least bring it closer to an end.

Washington is exerting pressure on its longstanding ally, Saudi Arabia, urging it to bring an end to the conflict, and has tied a portion of its military assistance to the kingdom to its withdrawal from Yemen.

The spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State, Matthew Miller, welcomed Saudi Arabia hosting discussions with the Houthi delegation in Riyadh in a statement on September 15, 2023, describing it as an “important step towards peace expands on a series of engagements between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis.”

These talks in Riyadh come following a visit by senior U.S. officials to Saudi Arabia, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates in early September 2023 to consult on a practical path toward peace in Yemen.

 

A Change in Position

An Arab diplomatic source suggests that the Omanis have managed to resolve a Saudi–Houthi dispute point in the April negotiations, which had been a stumbling block to the final agreement.

The source, who requested not to be revealed, explained to Al-Estiklal that “despite Saudi delegations visiting Yemen and an agreement to extend the ceasefire for another six months, during which humanitarian aspects would be implemented followed by a two-year transitional phase, reaching a permanent peace agreement in Yemen faced a significant dilemma.”

He further elaborated that the Houthis were surprised that Saudi Arabia presented itself in the negotiations as a “mediator” between the Yemenis (the Houthis and the Transitional Council) rather than as an “adversary,” even though Oman officially mediates between Riyadh and the Houthis.

On April 7, 2023, a senior Yemeni government official told the official Turkish news agency, Anadolu, that an agreement to extend the ceasefire with the Houthis until the end of 2023 has already been reached, to be followed by direct political dialogue for a comprehensive solution to the country’s crisis.

However, the Houthis criticized Riyadh’s desire to sign a peace agreement as a “mediator” and accused Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of evading responsibility, fearing that he would appear as a defeated and submissive figure in front of the Houthis.

At the time, Houthi leader Mohammed Ali al-Houthi pointed to this, mocking Saudi Arabia’s request to be a “mediator,” saying that “Saudi Arabia needs Oman as a mediator to play the role of the mediator.”

The Deputy Head of the Media Authority of the Houthi militia, Nasr al-Din Amer, ridiculed in a tweet he posted on April 11, saying, “Saudi Arabia, which considers itself a mediator, has carried out a quarter of a million airstrikes on Yemen.”

While President Biden did not isolate Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as promised, the humiliation he is currently facing in Yemen is a notable example, particularly since it is of his own making, Bloomberg reported on April 12, 2023.

The agency further emphasized that Mohammed bin Salman is enduring significant humiliation through his reconciliation efforts with the Houthi rebels. He is deemed responsible for the eight-year military failure in Yemen, which has cost the lives of more than 200,000 people and resulted in the loss of tens of billions of dollars.

Arab diplomatic sources suggested to Al-Estiklal that the obstacle related to Riyadh’s insistence on portraying itself merely as a mediator between Yemeni parties may have been overcome, with the possibility of resolution during Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s visit to Oman just a day before Saudi Arabia announced hosting a Houthi delegation on its soil.

 

Mediation Breakthrough

On September 13, 2023, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman visited Muscat, indicating a breakthrough in Omani mediation.

The President of the Sana’a Center for Strategic Studies, Maged al-Madhaji, told the French news agency on September 15 that “the Houthi delegation’s visit to Saudi Arabia is akin to moving the relationship between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia from behind-the-scenes to the living room, legitimizing this relationship and giving it an additional boost.”

Al-Madhaji considered the visit “a significant political step to end Saudi Arabia’s direct role in Yemen and recognize the Houthis as mediators alongside being one of the parties to the conflict.”

Abdulkarim Salem Asaadi, the head of the Southern Civil Power Association, interpreted bin Salman’s visit as having a connection with “peace in Yemen.”

Asaadi told Sputnik on September 14, 2023, “In my opinion, the visit represents a final station, or at least an important station, that leads to a clear roadmap that results in reaping the fruits of political efforts that have been managed by Saudi Arabia with some Yemeni parties for years.”

He mentioned that Saudi efforts with the Houthi militia “have reached final agreements regarding humanitarian issues,” such as opening airports and allowing new flight destinations to and from Sana’a Airport, as well as disbursing salaries and their mechanisms.

This comes after Saudi Arabia accepted the Houthi request to pay salaries based on the first clause, which relies on national financial revenues and does not link it to the fourth clause, which relies on regional grants and assistance as revenue sources.

A member of the Houthi Political Bureau, Ali al-Qhoom, through his X account, stated that “the issues to be discussed with the Saudis through Omani efforts and mediation prioritize humanitarian files, salary disbursement, opening airports and ports, the release of all prisoners, the withdrawal of foreign forces, reconstruction, and ultimately reaching a comprehensive political solution.”

Sources told Reuters that the talks between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis are focused on the full reopening of ports under the movement’s control, including the port of Hudaydah, as well as the reopening of Sana’a Airport.

They also include the payment of public sector salaries from oil revenues, reconstruction efforts, and setting a timetable for the withdrawal of foreign forces from Yemen.

 

The Goal Is Peace

On September 14, 2023, the French news agency quoted Houthi sources confirming that “the ultimate goal and the final formula are a peace agreement paved by humanitarian agreements.”

“Political sources in Sana’a” were cited as expecting that the Houthis would discuss with Saudi officials “the final formula” for a comprehensive and permanent ceasefire, with the parties to the conflict then proceeding to negotiate directly for a political solution under the auspices of the United Nations with the support of Saudi Arabia and Oman.

It noted that “the visit of the Saudi delegation to Sana’a in April 2023 and the recent rapprochement between Riyadh and Tehran have revived hopes of reaching a political solution to the ongoing conflict in the poorest country in the Arabian Peninsula [Yemen].”

With the start of the first peace negotiations, The Guardian confirmed on April 10, 2023, that the Saudis’ goal is to seek guarantees that the Houthis will not resume their military campaign by launching drones toward the kingdom.

It stated that the Houthi-launched drone attacks on Saudi Arabia have effectively isolated a large area along the 800-mile border between Yemen and Saudi Arabia, putting a strain on the kingdom’s economy.

On September 15, 2023, a diplomat in Riyadh told AFP that the Houthis would benefit from any agreement with Saudi Arabia in gaining international recognition.

He emphasized that they have come to the negotiations for a direct settlement agreement with the Saudis that earns them international recognition.

The President of the Supreme Political Council of the Houthis, Mahdi al-Mashat, issued a statement published by the Houthi-affiliated Saba News Agency, praising peace efforts.

The head of the Houthi negotiating delegation from Sana’a, Mohammed Abdulsalam, revealed that the humanitarian file is being discussed with the Saudi delegation in Riyadh, including the disbursement of salaries, the opening of airports and ports, and the release of all prisoners and detainees.

Abdulsalam added that among the issues to be discussed are the withdrawal of foreign forces from Yemen and the reconstruction of Yemen, ultimately leading to a comprehensive political solution, according to the Iranian-funded Lebanese channel Al-Mayadeen on September 14, 2023.

 

Realities on the Ground

The legitimate Yemeni government based in Aden also welcomed the efforts of Saudi Arabia and Oman, aimed at urging the Houthi militias to engage seriously with peace initiatives and alleviate the humanitarian suffering of the Yemeni people.

In a statement published by the official Saba News Agency on September 15, 2023, the government reiterated its commitment to its open approach to all initiatives aimed at achieving a just and comprehensive peace, in accordance with the three references, ensuring an end to the coup and the restoration of state institutions, security, stability, and development in Yemen.

The three references are the outcomes of the National Dialogue Conference held between March 2013 and January 2014, which stipulates the establishment of a federal state consisting of six regions.

These resolutions are aligned with the decisions of the United Nations Security Council regarding Yemen, particularly Resolution 2021, in addition to the Gulf Initiative conducted in 2011 during the popular protests against the rule of the late President Ali Abdullah Saleh.

These decisions have set a timeline for the transfer of power in the country, culminating in a new presidential election in February 2012, in which the former consensus President, Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, won.

However, the Houthis reject these agreements, considering them outdated, as time and the realities on the ground have surpassed them.

Since September 2014, the Houthi militia has controlled several provinces in the central and northern regions of the country, including the capital, Sana’a. In support of the legitimate government, a coalition led by Saudi Arabia entered into a war with them on March 26, 2015.

The United Nations states that Yemen is facing the worst humanitarian crisis in the world, with 4.5 million people, or one in seven of the population, displaced from their homes.

24.1 million people, or 80 percent of the population, are in need of humanitarian assistance and protection.

In a late 2022 report on the situation in Yemen, it was verified that tens of thousands of Yemeni citizens are presently enduring conditions reminiscent of a famine, and roughly six million individuals are teetering on the edge of starvation.

The United Nations estimated that as of 2022, the conflict in Yemen had resulted in the deaths of over 377,000 people, with 60 percent of them succumbing to hunger, lack of healthcare, and unsafe water. More than 11,000 children were killed or injured directly as a result of the fighting.