Official: UAE supports Saudi efforts to reach a political solution in Yemen 

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) supports the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s efforts to reach a political solution to the Yemeni crisis, CNN quoted a high-ranking Emirati official saying yesterday.

The unnamed official said his country hopes to start a constructive process among all Yemenis and therefore supports Saudi Arabia’s efforts.

“Since the beginning of the Yemeni crisis, the UAE has always supported the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and fully supports the Kingdom’s current efforts to find a political solution to the crisis, to bring about peace and put a permanent end to hostilities between all the various Yemeni parties,” he said.

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The official’s remarks came at a time when Oman, the United Nations and international and regional parties are making efforts to extend the six-month truce between the Yemeni government and Houthis which ended in October.

It also comes after two delegations from Saudi Arabia and Oman visited Sanaa, where they met Houthi leaders and discussed ways to establish peace in Yemen.

Though the UAE backed the Saudi-coalition against the Houthis when it was formed in 2015, in 2019 it withdrew most of its military forces from Yemen, leaving Saudi Arabia alone. The Emirates was also found to be backing a rival government in Yemen.

Saudi quagmire in Yemen – Cartoon [Carlos Latuff/MiddleEastMonitor]