Yemen peace talks: The end of years of civil war?

For Muslims, the holy month of Ramadan is a symbol for peace, forgiveness and new beginnings. This year, for Yemen it might be the beginning of the end of the country’s seven-year long civil war.

On April 2, a cease fire came into effect ahead of Ramadan and the country is currently experiencing the first nationwide truce in six years.

This Thursday, the country’s president, Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi, said he was stepping down and handed over his duties to a newly formed presidential council.

The new eight-member council will be chaired by Rashad al-Alimi who served as interior minister and former deputy prime minister under president Ali Abdullah Saleh who was killed in 2017 by Houthi rebels.

The Houthis therefore were quick to dismiss the new council, dashing hopes for quick progress towards peace. “Yemen’s present and future is decided inside Yemen, and any activity outside its borders is a skit and entertainment games played by the countries of aggression,” Houthi spokesman Mohammed Abdul Salam said.