Yemen Govt Urges Int’l Community to Change Approach in Dealing with Houthis

Pro-government fighters during battles with Houthi militias on the outskirts of Yemen’s northeastern governorate of Marib. (AP)
Pro-government fighters during battles with Houthi militias on the outskirts of Yemen’s northeastern governorate of Marib. (AP)
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Yemen Govt Urges Int’l Community to Change Approach in Dealing with Houthis

Pro-government fighters during battles with Houthi militias on the outskirts of Yemen’s northeastern governorate of Marib. (AP)
Pro-government fighters during battles with Houthi militias on the outskirts of Yemen’s northeastern governorate of Marib. (AP)

The Yemeni government is urging the international community to shift its way of dealing with the Iran-backed Houthi militias’ inflexibility in peace efforts and continued rejection of allowing maintenance of the derelict Safer oil tanker, which is threatening to cause an environment disaster in the Red Sea.

Moreover, the UN-backed Yemeni government demanded the international community also condemn the Houthis for their nonstop targeting of civilians in both the war-torn country and neighboring Saudi Arabia.

On Tuesday, Yemeni Foreign Minister Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak reaffirmed his government’s “keenness to achieve peace and stability.”

Bin Mubarak voiced the government’s support for peace efforts during a mid-term videoconference meeting of the foreign ministers of state members of the Non-Aligned Movement, hosted by the Azerbaijani capital, Baku.

The minister’s statements come at a time pro-government forces, composed of the Yemeni army and the Popular Resistance, are fighting fierce battles against the Houthis in the strategic governorates of Marib and Al-Bayda.

“It (the Yemeni government) has made concessions after concessions for the sake of peace and sparing the bloodshed of Yemenis,” said bin Mubarak, adding that the Yemeni state has “dealt positively” with both UN and regional peace initiatives.

“The most recent initiative was presented by Saudi Arabia and the plan proposed by the UN, according to the references for comprehensive and sustainable peace in Yemen: the Gulf Initiative and its mechanism, the outcomes of the National Dialogue and relevant UN Security Council resolutions, starting with resolution 2216,” explained bin Mubarak.

However, the militias have “refused all these initiatives and chosen to pursue hostilities by firing ballistic missiles and using drone attacks against the over two million internally displaced civilian refugees in Marib.”

Apart from condemning the Houthis for their aggressions, the FM praised the Saudi-led Arab Coalition for backing pro-government forces in their fight against the militias and their efforts to restore security, peace and stability to Yemen.

He also thanked donor countries for sending aid to impoverished Yemenis experiencing a dire humanitarian crisis brought about by years of war waged by the Houthis.



Lebanese Govt. to Seek New IMF Program, Policy Statement Says

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) logo is seen outside the headquarters building in Washington, U.S., September 4, 2018. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas//File Photo
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) logo is seen outside the headquarters building in Washington, U.S., September 4, 2018. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas//File Photo
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Lebanese Govt. to Seek New IMF Program, Policy Statement Says

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) logo is seen outside the headquarters building in Washington, U.S., September 4, 2018. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas//File Photo
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) logo is seen outside the headquarters building in Washington, U.S., September 4, 2018. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas//File Photo

Lebanon's new government will negotiate with the International Monetary Fund for a new program and will work to deal with the country's financial default and public debt, according to a policy statement approved by the cabinet late on Monday.

The statement, a copy of which was reviewed by Reuters, said the government would work for an economical revival that could only be achieved through restructuring the banking sector.

Lebanon has been in deep economic crisis since 2019, when its financial system collapsed under the weight of massive state debts, prompting a sovereign default in 2020 and freezing ordinary depositors out of their savings in the banking system.

Beirut reached a draft funding deal with IMF in 2022 - contingent on reforms that authorities failed to deliver.

Finance Minister Yassine Jaber, who took office as part of a new government agreed earlier this month, told Reuters an IMF mission is expected to visit Lebanon in March.

Jaber said he had met the IMF's resident representative in Lebanon, Frederico Lima, and confirmed that the government plans to move ahead with reforms.

Lebanon's political landscape has been turned on its head since the Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah, long a dominant player in Lebanese politics, was badly pummelled in last year's war with Israel.

Reflecting the shift in the power balance, the government policy statement did not include language used in previous years that was seen to legitimize a role for Hezbollah in defending Lebanon, saying instead "we want a state that has the decision of war and peace".

The statement said it was required to adopt a national security strategy and a foreign policy that works to 'neutralize' Lebanon from conflicts.

In the field of energy, the Lebanese government will seek to resume work in oil and gas exploration, according to the cabinet statement. It said the government planned to establish a Ministry of Technology and Artificial Intelligence.

With a new administration in neighboring Syria, the statement said the Lebanese government believed it has an opportunity to start a serious dialogue aimed at controlling and demarcating the borders and working to resolve the issue of displaced Syrians in Lebanon.