Yemen war: Saudi-Houthi talks bring hope of ceasefire

A Saudi Arabian delegation is in Yemen’s capital Sana’a for talks with the Houthi rebel movement aimed at reaching a new and potentially permanent ceasefire.

A mediation team from Oman is also in Sana’a.

The capital has been controlled by the Houthis since they drove the Yemeni government out in 2015.

Soon after, war erupted between the Houthis and a Saudi-led coalition supporting the government.

It has continued ever since, leaving tens of thousands of Yemenis dead and some 80% of the population relying on aid.

No official confirmation has been made by the Saudi side yet, but Houthi outlets say that both the Saudi and Omani delegations are in Sana’a.

A leaked photo appears to show the Houthi leader Mohammed Ali al-Houthi shaking the hand of a Saudi official, whose face is obscured.

This has been greeted as another significant sign of the willingness of both sides to finally reach a deal that could end the war.

No named officials have commented, but there have been reports from various sources that an agreement could be signed before the end of the month.

Again, the terms of such a deal have not been made public.

But they are said to include commitments to pay the wages of public employees and reopen all ports and airports – as well as more ambitious goals, such as rebuilding the country, the exit of foreign forces and a political transition. All of these have been stumbling blocks in the past.

This initiative is itself in parallel with a UN process, which resulted in a temporary ceasefire last year.

During the period of the truce, various confidence-building measures were able to go ahead and those have continued, including the easing of restrictions on imports and the exchange of prisoners.

The conflict in Yemen is complex – a permanent ceasefire between the Saudi-led coalition and the Houthis wouldn’t necessarily bring an end to all fighting.

Other factions, including Al-Qaeda, have their own battles still to fight.

But the proxy war between the Saudis and Iran does look like it is coming to an end – with the two regional rivals now committed to a rapprochement that will see them reopen diplomatic missions.

That appears to have created the momentum for a serious drive towards ending the war, with the talks in Sana’a clearly key to its success.