The GCC Ambassador to Yemen, Sarhan al-Minaikher, said that the integration of Yemen with the economies of the Arab Gulf states is a matter linked to the end of the war.
Minaikher said that efforts aim to extend the existing armistice, stressing Gulf countries' support to end the crisis.
The Ambassador spoke at a session of the Yemen International Forum in Stockholm, which was also attended by US Special Envoy for Yemen Tim Lenderking and Omani Ambassador Sheikh Humaid al-Maani.
The two-day Forum was held on Friday and was hosted by the Sanaa Center for Strategic Studies and the Swedish Folke Bernadotte Academy. The Houthis and the Southern Transitional Council were not in attendance.
Ceasefire Discussions
Many discussions at the Forum addressed the Yemeni armistice sponsored by the United Nations, which is still seeking to resolve some of its provisions.
"The truce is holding, and this is to the surprise of many analysts who are out here…and I have to say that I'm also surprised at the commitment that the parties have shown, despite all the challenges," UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg said at the Forum.
"We know that it is fragile, yes, it's far from perfect, but it is holding."
Yemenis fear investing in the truce instead of building on it to include a bigger deal, amid Houthis' lack of response to opening the Taiz crossings.
The two-month truce began in April and was extended for another two months, with Yemeni hopes that the parties would remain committed.
However, the government believes that the Houthi group is obstructing the issue of opening the Taiz crossings.
Economy and development
The Yemeni political situation can't be addressed without referring to development and the economy, two significant challenges that affect citizens in various parts of the country.
Officials involved in the development assert the necessity of transforming emergency relief into sustainable projects, and international organizations work to fulfill and support their commitments to the most vulnerable groups.
Some participants at the Forum questioned why the money paid by donors is not reflected in simple services such as electricity.
Managing Director of the Executive Bureau for the Acceleration of Aid Absorption and Support for Policy Reforms Afrah al-Zouba cited the amount of electricity wasted due to worn-out devices and outdated generators.
Meanwhile, the head of the Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yemen (SDRPY) delegation, Adel al-Qassadi, asserted the need for transparency for the bodies and organizations working with Yemen to reach a more effective and innovative development model.
"We need to link between the humanitarian and the development tracks in Yemen, and there is a need for a complete vision of economic recovery that does not depend on what is provided by donors," he said.
Peace and Negotiations expert Shatha al-Harazi believes it is essential to bring together this large number of Yemenis from different parties and backgrounds with international actors.
Harazi said such forums are an opportunity, and while some may come with different aspirations and think that the outcomes will constitute a roadmap, it is vital to be engaged in discussions.
She explains that Yemen needs to intensify the discussions, addressing the economic and development aspects, saying: "they are the basic needs of citizens."
Boycotting the Forum
Observers believed the speech of the head of the Sanaa Center for Studies, Farea al-Muslimi, carried a message to some figures who criticized the meeting or the Sanaa Center itself.
Muslimi said that not all Yemenis are at the Forum, "but we are Yemenis and committed to Yemen and even to those who did not attend."
The spokesman of the Southern Transitional Council (STC), Ali al-Kathiri, said that the Council would not be attending the Forum.
Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Kathiri said the STC sent a letter to Director General of the Folke Bernadotte Per Olsson Fridh, lauding the efforts of Sweden and its Ministry of Foreign Affairs in bringing peace to Yemen, the South, and the region.
The Council apologized for not participating in the Forum, saying it was organized by the Sanaa Center for Studies, which fueled the conflict.
Kathiri accused the Center of lacking neutrality and adopting positions against the cause of the South.
STC's General Department of Foreign Affairs previously expressed the same position during a meeting with the Swedish envoy, Peter Semneby, at the end of last March, said Kathiri, adding that this stance refers to any activity that includes the Center.
