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China to Sponsor First Peace Conference in Horn of Africa

The Ethiopian Foreign Minister during his meeting with China’s envoy to the Horn of Africa. (Facebook)
The Ethiopian Foreign Minister during his meeting with China’s envoy to the Horn of Africa. (Facebook)
    Cairo, Addis Ababa - Asharq Al-Awsat
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China to Sponsor First Peace Conference in Horn of Africa

The Ethiopian Foreign Minister during his meeting with China’s envoy to the Horn of Africa. (Facebook)
The Ethiopian Foreign Minister during his meeting with China’s envoy to the Horn of Africa. (Facebook)

China’s newly appointed envoy to the Horn of Africa Xue Bing said his country will sponsor the first peace conference in the first half of 2022, in an attempt to resolve regional conflicts.

China is seeking to play a more active role in the key strategic conflict-hit region.

Earlier this year, Beijing appointed Xue, a veteran diplomat who had served as the ambassador to Papua New Guinea and in various countries in Africa, the Americas and Oceania.

Xue kicked off an African tour last week, including Eritrea, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Somalia and Kenya, and his next stops will be Uganda and South Sudan.

At a press conference in Nairobi, Xue said the peace conference aims to provide a platform for the regional countries to settle their differences through negotiations.

Kenya and Ethiopia offered to host the talks, Ethiopia’s official news agency ENA reported.

Xue revealed during his visit to Addis Ababa that China seeks to bring regional countries together to address challenges facing security and development.

He tackled the Initiative of Peaceful Development in the Horn of Africa, which China's State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi had previously proposed during a trip to Africa.

The initiative aims at supporting countries in the region to achieve long-term stability, prosperity and development in an independent way.

The African region is currently roiled by turmoil, including the Tigray conflict north of Ethiopia, which killed thousands of civilians and displaced millions, as well as the violence in Somalia and the Kenyan-Ethiopian disputes.

Beijing has been seeking for years to expand its influence in Africa.

In October 2000, it launched the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation to promote trade and investment relations between China and African countries.

It also established a military base in Djibouti to protect its interests, with a contingent of up to 10,000 soldiers.

The Horn of Africa enjoys several resources that attract investments, prompting competition and struggle for influence between China and the United States.

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Houthis in Yemen Strip their Head of Govt of his Powers

The Houthis prevented Ahmed al-Rahwi from naming the head of his office. (Houthi media)
The Houthis prevented Ahmed al-Rahwi from naming the head of his office. (Houthi media)
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Houthis in Yemen Strip their Head of Govt of his Powers

The Houthis prevented Ahmed al-Rahwi from naming the head of his office. (Houthi media)
The Houthis prevented Ahmed al-Rahwi from naming the head of his office. (Houthi media)

The Iran-backed Houthi militias have prevented their so-called prime minister, Ahmed al-Rahwi, from naming the head of his office.

The Houthis have instead forced him to appoint a person of their choosing against his wishes, revealed informed sources in the Houthi-held capital Sanaa.

The Houthis are attempting to strip al-Rahwi, who was named as head of the militias’ new government, of his powers, making his appointment simply a cover for imposing their agenda and favoring Houthis who are descended of the line of their leader Abdulmalik al-Houthi.

The sources revealed that al-Rahwi had headed to the government headquarters with Rabih al-Mehdi, the director of the office of his predecessor. Mehdi hails from the Abyan province that is held by the legitimate government.

Al-Rahwi was seeking to keep al-Mehdi in his post. However, a leading Houthi member, Mohammed Qassem al-Kabisi, who used to occupy the position of government secretary, barred him from making the appointment.

Kabisi even prevented al-Mehdi from entering his office, resulting in an argument with al-Rahwi.

Kabisi informed al-Rahwi that he had no authority in naming the head of his office, saying that he does instead.

Al-Rahwi turned to the Houthis’ so-called ruling high political council to resolve the dispute and was informed that he should accept Kabisi as head of his office despite his objection.

A decree was issued days later naming Kabisi to the post.

He will effectively hold absolute power in government, while al-Rahwi will simply play a figurative role and only be needed to approve decisions and procedures taken by the Houthi leadership, joining other ministers who have no real duties.

The Houthis have formed a new government that will follow in the footsteps of its predecessor in keeping actual power to the militias themselves.

The new lineup includes a pro-Houthi figure, with no diplomatic background or experience, who was named foreign minister, replacing leading General People's Congress member Hisham Sharaf.

The appointment only fueled claims that the Houthis were seeking to eliminate their partners from rule. Al-Rahwi himself had no say in the lineup.

The Houthis announced the formation of their government on August 12. It met on August 17 to discuss its program, referred it to parliament the same day and by the next morning, an announcement was made that it was approved with no amendments or objections.

The incident with al-Rahwi has fueled speculation that the coming period will witness more struggles for power among the Houthis and their partners, whom they are trying to keep out of rule.

Observers noted that Kabisi is the son of a top Houthi leader. Qassem al-Kabisi is one of the founders of the group and is close to their leader Abdulmalik al-Houthi.

The senior Houthi officials believe they have the right to represent the Houthis in rule since they are its founders and oldest members.