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Arab World

European Ambassadors in Sanaa to Pressure Insurgents in Coordination with Legitimate Government

EU Head of Delegation to Yemen Ambassador Antonia Calvo Puerta. KUNA
EU Head of Delegation to Yemen Ambassador Antonia Calvo Puerta. KUNA
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European Ambassadors in Sanaa to Pressure Insurgents in Coordination with Legitimate Government

EU Head of Delegation to Yemen Ambassador Antonia Calvo Puerta. KUNA
EU Head of Delegation to Yemen Ambassador Antonia Calvo Puerta. KUNA

An unprecedented state of joy overwhelmed leaders of the Houthi militia following the arrival of a high-level delegation from the European Union to Sanaa after nearly three years of international and diplomatic isolation against pro-Iranian militias.

Although the purpose of the visit is humanitarian, leaders of the Houthi group regarded it as a political and diplomatic victory, meaning the world has recognized them.\

The delegation, which arrived to Sanaa on Monday, was headed by EU Head of Delegation to Yemen Ambassador Antonia Calvo Puerta.

Meanwhile, the legitimate Yemeni government revealed that the visit of the European delegation to Sanaa was done coordinated with it, and it ridiculed in a statement by an official source in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs what Houthis have been saying, adding that the group is trying to invest the visit as a form of solidarity with them.

The official source revealed in the statement that the visit aims at pressuring the insurgents to accept the requirements of the peace process, cooperate with the new UN envoy, refrain from impeding humanitarian work and relief efforts and agree to release a number of European national detainees, some of which were sentenced to death.

“The visit of the European diplomats to Sanaa was coordinated with the Yemeni government, and they were granted entry visas,” the source said.

The Ambassador of the EU to Yemen revealed in a statement to the media that the visit will last three days and its purpose is humanitarian, as they are scheduled to report the suffering of Yemenis in the warfare county.

Yemeni observers told Asharq Al-Awsat that the European ambassadors might be on an undeclared mission in Sanaa to submit a draft of Western peace proposal to the Houthi militia leaders that was previously agreed upon with the legitimate government in Riyadh. This comes as part of the international efforts that pave the way for the work of the new UN envoy Martin Griffiths.

Notably, the delegation includes Dutch ambassador to Yemen Maria van Doe, French ambassador to Yemen Christian Tistot and, envoy of the Swedish foreign minister Hans Peter.

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Arab World

Egypt Says It Held Calls with US Witkoff, Regional Counterparts

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty speaks during a joint news conference with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov following their meeting in Moscow, Russia April 3, 2026. (Pavel Bednyakov/Pool via Reuters)
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty speaks during a joint news conference with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov following their meeting in Moscow, Russia April 3, 2026. (Pavel Bednyakov/Pool via Reuters)
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Egypt Says It Held Calls with US Witkoff, Regional Counterparts

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty speaks during a joint news conference with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov following their meeting in Moscow, Russia April 3, 2026. (Pavel Bednyakov/Pool via Reuters)
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty speaks during a joint news conference with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov following their meeting in Moscow, Russia April 3, 2026. (Pavel Bednyakov/Pool via Reuters)

Egypt's Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty held separate calls to discuss proposals for regional de-escalation with ‌US Envoy ‌Steve Witkoff ‌and ⁠regional counterparts including Iranian ⁠Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, the ministry said in a ⁠statement on ‌Sunday.

Egypt, ‌Türkiye and ‌Pakistan have ‌emerged as active intermediaries in the crisis, with ‌Islamabad recently hosting a meeting to ⁠discuss ⁠regional de-escalation and proposals to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Arab World

Hezbollah Says Targeted Israeli Warship with Cruise Missile

A man checks his phone on a beach as smoke rises from Israeli artillery shells on Qlaileh village, visible from Tyre city, south Lebanon, March 28, 2026. (AP)
A man checks his phone on a beach as smoke rises from Israeli artillery shells on Qlaileh village, visible from Tyre city, south Lebanon, March 28, 2026. (AP)
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Hezbollah Says Targeted Israeli Warship with Cruise Missile

A man checks his phone on a beach as smoke rises from Israeli artillery shells on Qlaileh village, visible from Tyre city, south Lebanon, March 28, 2026. (AP)
A man checks his phone on a beach as smoke rises from Israeli artillery shells on Qlaileh village, visible from Tyre city, south Lebanon, March 28, 2026. (AP)

Hezbollah on Sunday said it had targeted an Israeli warship with a cruise missile off the Lebanese coast, the first such claim by the group since the start of the Middle East war.

In a statement, the Iran-backed group said it targeted the vessel 68 nautical miles off the Lebanese coast, claiming the warship was "preparing to launch attacks on Lebanese territory".

Israeli warships have been used on several recent occasions to launch strikes on Lebanon.

Arab World

IMF Hails Yemen’s Reforms, Supports its Recovery Path

The light of the setting sun illuminates some clouds in the sky over Sanaa, Yemen, 30 March 2026. (EPA)
The light of the setting sun illuminates some clouds in the sky over Sanaa, Yemen, 30 March 2026. (EPA)
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IMF Hails Yemen’s Reforms, Supports its Recovery Path

The light of the setting sun illuminates some clouds in the sky over Sanaa, Yemen, 30 March 2026. (EPA)
The light of the setting sun illuminates some clouds in the sky over Sanaa, Yemen, 30 March 2026. (EPA)

The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Saturday resumed Article IV consultations with the Yemeni legitimate government after 11 years.

Reflecting the country’s improved institutional performance, this development is an important indicator of restoring channels of cooperation with international financial institutions and boosting confidence in the reform path being taken by the government.

“The renewed consultation reflects enhanced institutional capacity and data production,” the IMF said in a statement.

It positively noted the government’s efforts to achieve the minimum economic stabilization despite the extraordinary circumstances the country is going through.

The Fund said Yemen’s economy is gradually emerging from the deep recession following the suspension of oil exports in 2022, with the pace of contraction moderating and fiscal and external pressures easing. However, it warned that the war in the Middle East is expected to weigh on Yemen’s economy this year, while risks to the outlook remain substantial.

IMF directors affirmed the authorities' commitment to revenue mobilization and fiscal governance enables the delivery of essential public services.

They noted that a market-based exchange rate supports Yemen’s economic recovery and social stability.

Directors said that engagement with creditors to support a comprehensive debt treatment is also essential to restore debt sustainability.

Meanwhile, the prioritization of essential spending is expected to weigh temporarily on the fiscal balance, the IMF said, but over time will help protect the most vulnerable.

The Yemeni government welcomed the approval of the IMF’s Article IV consultation results after an 11-year pause - an important step restoring international engagement and confidence in its reform agenda to strengthen financial management, transparency and fight corruption, despite the war outcomes and the suspension of oil exports as a result of Houthi attacks.

The government reaffirmed its commitment to continue implementing a comprehensive reform program in various sectors, and to work in coordination with international partners to alleviate human suffering and achieve economic stability.

It then noted the adoption of the 2026 general budget as part of efforts to revive state institutions.

Despite the positive indicators, the IMF said the challenges facing Yemen's economy remain large and complex amid the ongoing war, institutional fragmentation and lack of financial resources.

The IMF stressed that the risks surrounding the future outlook remain high, especially in light of regional developments and their potential impact on the global economy.

It said inflation, fluctuating exchange rates and rising import costs will cause major pressure on the economy, requiring the adoption of balanced precautionary policies to maintain monetary and financial stability.

From 2027 onward, the IMF said the economy is expected to begin regaining momentum as inflation declines, real incomes recover and remittances and non-oil exports expand under the authorities’ Agriculture Plan.