One year after Yemen signed the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)-led political transition initiative, the United States of America today praised the Arab country for making progress in implementing the political transition agreement.
In her remarks in Washington DC, US Department Spokesperson Victoria Nuland says the United States congratulates President Hadi, the National Consensus Government and the people of Yemen on the significant steps taken to implement political transition initiative, including the thoughtful planning for the upcoming National Dialogue.
“It is important that the Dialogue now move forward in an inclusive, transparent, and timely manner, to address issues fundamental to Yemen’s future.” – Ms. Nuland
She says broad participation by all segments of Yemeni society including Southerners, Houthis, women, civil society organizations, youth, rural populations, and others will be essential for a successful Dialogue.
The US and the international community, are deeply committed to supporting the ongoing efforts of President Hadi, the National Consensus Government and the people of Yemen to seek meaningful reform through peaceful initiatives.
The US commends the leadership of the GCC in facilitating this political transition, which will lay the groundwork for national elections in February 2014, and help secure a peaceful and prosperous future for Yemen.
As Yemenis embarked on a path of change for their country, the United States of America underlined its commitment to support Yemen as it pursues political transition.
The United States is strongly committed to working with Yemeni President Hadi, the people of Yemen, and the international community, to facilitate the historic transition.
The US commends President Hadi for his determined leadership which has enabled Yemen to remain faithful to the process and milestones described in the Gulf Cooperation Council-led political transition initiative.
The US government also continues to support exploration of options for a trust fund to support the Government of Yemen’s capacity building efforts.
The United States is on track to more than double assistance to Yemen this fiscal year, providing over $346 million.
The US government also seeks to support the Yemeni people by delivering humanitarian aid and economic assistance, supporting good governance, and encouraging expanded political participation for all, especially women, youth, and Yemenis of all backgrounds.
In August this year, Yemen’s president Abdo Rabo Mansour Hadi has recently ordered the restructuring of military units and security institutions by issuing decrees transferring the command of former security units to a newly formed force called the “Presidential Protective Forces under his authority.”
Reports say the move aims to stabilise the security situation of the country where former leader Ali Abdullah Saleh’s legacy still looms large.
Yemen has reportedly experienced a significant transformation over the past year and these decrees are a tangible illustration of the positive steps that Yemen is taking along their path to democracy.
Earlier this year, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP)reported that Yemen is in the midst of an “increasingly complex, full-fledged humanitarian crisis.
It is estimated that the recent political turmoil in Yemen last year, part of a wave of protests across the Middle East and North Africa calling for social, economic and democratic reforms, has led to more than 82 deaths and hundreds of injuries.
To address the humanitarian needs of the Yemenis, the World Food Programm set to scale up its assistance in response to the growing needs in Yemen.
WFP is preparing to feed 3.5 million vulnerable people in Yemen in 2012. This includes people who have been pushed into hunger in the wake of sharp hikes in food prices and displacement in the northern and the southern regions of the country.
The agency is especially prioritizing 1.8 million severely food insecure Yemenis living in the poorest 14 governorates. The estimated total cost of the food assistance is $207 million.
WFP’s efforts in the country have received a boost with a $31 million contribution from Germany, during what the agency’s representative there, Lubna Alaman, described as an “increasingly dire” situation.
The uprising in Yemen is part of a wider pro-democracy movement across the region, dubbed the “Arab Spring,” that began at the start of this year and has already toppled long-standing regimes in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya.
