Int’l Community Welcomes Saudi Efforts, Affirming Necessity of Peace in Yemen

UK Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Dominic Raab
UK Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Dominic Raab
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Int’l Community Welcomes Saudi Efforts, Affirming Necessity of Peace in Yemen

UK Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Dominic Raab
UK Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Dominic Raab

Several countries and international and regional organizations have welcomed the mechanism to accelerate the implementation of the Riyadh Agreement signed between the Yemeni internationally-recognized government and the Southern Transitional Council (STC) under Saudi sponsorship.

Statements stressed the importance of achieving peace in Yemen and said that the Riyadh Agreement would help do so.

The United States valued Saudi efforts through a statement issued by its embassy in Yemen, which said: "Through the rapprochement between the Yemeni government and the STC, the implementation of the Riyadh agreement represents an essential step towards achieving a lasting peace for the Yemeni people."

The statement pointed out that achieving peace and unity in Yemen is necessary for regional stability and meeting the urgent needs of the Yemeni people, adding that “a lasting solution will require all parties to make concessions.”

The US reiterated its continued support for the efforts led by the UN to move forward in the political process in Yemen.

The United Kingdom has also welcomed the proposal by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to accelerate implementing the Riyadh Agreement.

UK Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Dominic Raab said: "The Riyadh Agreement is a key step towards a sustainable, peaceful resolution to the Yemen conflict. This announcement represents important progress.”

“I encourage all the Yemeni parties to continue this spirit of negotiation and compromise,” he added.

The UAE has also welcomed the latest developments with regards to the resumption of the implementation of the Riyadh Agreement.

The UAE noted the agreement aims to achieve security, stability, peace, and development in Yemen and expressed its hope to accelerate its implementation to end the Yemeni crisis in line with the UN-sponsored peace track.

In a statement, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation commended the Saudi leadership for enabling progress in the agreement’s implementation and its support for efforts to serve the interests of the brotherly Yemeni people and contribute towards the country’s stability and security.

The Ministry stressed the importance of solidarity and cooperation among Yemeni forces to prioritize the greater national interest and confront threats facing Yemen, foremost among them the Houthi coup.

The Ministry reiterated its commitment to standing by the Yemeni people and backing their legitimate aspirations for development, security, and peace within the context of the UAE's policy to support the interests of peoples in the region.



Mikati: Lebanon in State of War, Resistance, Government Doing Their Duty

Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati visits students sitting for official exams in the city of Tyre. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati visits students sitting for official exams in the city of Tyre. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Mikati: Lebanon in State of War, Resistance, Government Doing Their Duty

Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati visits students sitting for official exams in the city of Tyre. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati visits students sitting for official exams in the city of Tyre. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati said Lebanon is in a state of war, stressing that the resistance and the government are “doing their duty” against Israel.

Mikati visited on Saturday the southern city of Tyre, where he inspected the Lebanese Army operations center. He also stopped at exam centers in the city, on the first day of the school official exams, accompanied by Education Minister Abbas Halabi

In remarks to reporters, the premier stressed that the resistance is doing its “duties”, and so is the Lebanese government.

“We are always advocates of peace, and our choice is the choice of peace and the implementation of UN Resolution 1701. It is incumbent upon Israel to cease its repeated attacks on Lebanon and halt the war in Gaza, with everyone adhering to UN Resolution 2735,” Mikati stated.

He continued: “The resistance is doing its duty, and the Lebanese government is doing its duty, and our goal is to protect the country in every sense of the word.”

He also praised the army for being the “backbone and shield of the nation.”

“We are in a state of war, and there have been a large number of martyrs among civilians and non-civilians, and many villages have been destroyed due to Israeli aggression,” he stated.

Halabi, for his part, spoke about the difficulties faced by students in the southern border towns given the conflict with Israel.

He had previously announced that buses were secured by the ministry to safely transport students from unstable areas to exam centers, guarded by Lebanese forces and UN peacekeepers.

Many of the students who were assigned centers in areas considered “safe” spoke of the difficulties they faced while preparing for exams, as many of them did not have access to the Internet in the shelter centers or homes to which they were displaced as a result of the Israeli bombing of their towns and villages.

The minister promised to take this issue into consideration, saying: “We will seek the opinion of educators on this matter, especially the Educational Center for Research and Development.”

The South Governorate boasts 29 official exam centers. The number of students who took their exams reached 5,470 out of 5,624.