EU delegation in Aden pushing towards inclusive Yemen peace process

Visitors included representatives of EU Mission to Yemen and major European countries

Yemen Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalik. AP

A high-level EU delegation held talks with Yemen’s prime minister and the Southern Transitional Council (STC) during an official two-day visit to Aden.

The visitors included the charge d'affairs of the EU Mission to Yemen alongside the ambassadors of Germany, France and the Netherlands and the Sweden envoy to Yemen.

They met Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalik and other ministers in the Yemen power-sharing government during the trip to the country’s interim capital.

Dr Abdulmalik briefed the delegation on emerging challenges facing his Cabinet, including the depreciation of the national currency, exchange rates, power shortages, inflation of commodity prices and regional and international support he felt was required, state-owned Saba news reported.

The European delegation also held talks with STC president Brig Aidrous Al Zubaidi and other leaders from the council.

"We affirmed our desire and readiness to go back to the negotiations table to fully implement the Al Riyadh Agreement, which we consider as a solid basis for any peace process in the near future," STC spokesman Ali Al Katheri told The National.

"We reiterated the need for designing an inclusive peace process in which the STC plays a major role from the beginning. Also, we called on the EU to support the power-sharing government to bear its responsibilities in reviving the dire economy and improving the worsening living conditions.”

The delegates met Aden governor Ahmed Lamlas and collectively condemned the recent terrorist attack that targeted him and the minister of agriculture and fisheries, Brigr Salem Al Socotri in Aden in October, state media reported.

The delegates' trip followed the visit early in October of newly appointed UN envoy to Yemen, Hans Grundberg.