A UN mandate that supports a peace deal on a troop withdrawal from Yemen’s key port city of Hodeidah was extended by six months on Monday.
Yemen’s warring sides agreed to a ceasefire and troop withdrawal from Hodeidah during talks in Stockholm, Sweden, last December, which marked the first major breakthrough in peace efforts since the civil war began in 2015.
Yemen's Red Sea port of Hodeidah, which is controlled by the Iran-backed rebels, is the point of entry for most of the country's commercial goods and aid supplies.
A British drafted resolution asked the UN Security Council to extend its mandate until 15 January 2020 “to support the parties in implementing their commitments in accordance with the Hodeidah agreement and to lead and support the functioning of the Redeployment Coordination Committee (RCC).”
Danish Lt Gen Michael Lollesgaard, who leads the UN observer team in Hodeidah, heads the RCC.
The mandate is due to expire in the coming days.
The 15-member Security Council approval is seen as another attempt to ensure Yemen's warring parties stick to plans agreed to in Sweden to de-escalate the country's war.
Earlier this year, the UN approved 75 observers to be deployed in the port city to oversee the withdrawal of forces. The operation is known as the UN Mission to support the Hodeidah Agreement (UNMHA).
Monday's extension is an attempt to "work with the parties so that the security of the city of Hodeidah and the ports of Hodeidah, Salif, and Ras Issa is assured by local security forces in accordance with Yemeni law," said the resolution that was given to The National by a UN official.
Since its implementation last December, the deal has been on shaky ground with the government accusing the Houthi rebels of trying to undermine the agreement.
The extension also called on the Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to report to the Security Council on a monthly basis on progress regarding the implementation of this resolution.
Mr Guterres must report on any obstructions to the “effective operation of UNMHA caused by any party; and on resolution 2451 (2018), including on any non-compliance by any party,” said the resolution.
The announcement comes as UN Special Envoy to Yemen Martin Griffiths met Saudi Deputy Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman in Jeddah on Monday.
Mr Griffiths said he held “productive” discussions with Prince Khalid on ways to keep Yemen out of “ongoing regional tensions and to ensure progress is made in implementing the Stockholm deal with the support of the Kingdom.”
The UN official is due to meet with President Abdrabu Mansur Hadi for the first time since the Yemeni leader accused him of siding with the Houthi rebels.
"The purpose of the meetings will be to talk about the Stockholm agreement, on the withdrawal of troops from Hodeidah," a UN official told The National.
After his visit to Saudi Arabia Mr Griffiths is expected to meet with Houthi officials in Sanaa on Wednesday.
The view from The National
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Gulf Under 19s final
Dubai College A 50-12 Dubai College B
Structural%20weaknesses%20facing%20Israel%20economy
%3Cp%3E1.%20Labour%20productivity%20is%20lower%20than%20the%20average%20of%20the%20developed%20economies%2C%20particularly%20in%20the%20non-tradable%20industries.%3Cbr%3E2.%20The%20low%20level%20of%20basic%20skills%20among%20workers%20and%20the%20high%20level%20of%20inequality%20between%20those%20with%20various%20skills.%3Cbr%3E3.%20Low%20employment%20rates%2C%20particularly%20among%20Arab%20women%20and%20Ultra-Othodox%20Jewish%20men.%3Cbr%3E4.%20A%20lack%20of%20basic%20knowledge%20required%20for%20integration%20into%20the%20labour%20force%2C%20due%20to%20the%20lack%20of%20core%20curriculum%20studies%20in%20schools%20for%20Ultra-Othodox%20Jews.%3Cbr%3E5.%20A%20need%20to%20upgrade%20and%20expand%20physical%20infrastructure%2C%20particularly%20mass%20transit%20infrastructure.%3Cbr%3E6.%20The%20poverty%20rate%20at%20more%20than%20double%20the%20OECD%20average.%3Cbr%3E7.%20Population%20growth%20of%20about%202%20per%20cent%20per%20year%2C%20compared%20to%200.6%20per%20cent%20OECD%20average%20posing%20challenge%20for%20fiscal%20policy%20and%20underpinning%20pressure%20on%20education%2C%20health%20care%2C%20welfare%20housing%20and%20physical%20infrastructure%2C%20which%20will%20increase%20in%20the%20coming%20years.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs: 2018 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross
Price, base / as tested: Dh101,140 / Dh113,800
Engine: Turbocharged 1.5-litre four-cylinder
Power: 148hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 250Nm @ 2,000rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed CVT
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.0L / 100km
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
