Yemen is in need of a peace deal

The resumption of peace talks on Yemen is a good omen. The good point is that warring factions have voluntarily decided to abandon a boycott threat in an attempt to give peace a chance. A host of stakeholders deserve credit for this development, especially the good offices of the United Nations and Saudi Arabia. Had it not been the personal involvement of Riyadh, the road to Kuwait City for a dialogue would not have become a possibility. The world body hopes that discussions between Iran-backed Houthi rebels and the government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi would focus on strengthening a ceasefire, and try to iron out intricate issues in a collaborative manner. The fact that the fragile ceasefire is holding since it came into effect on April 11, despite repeated violations from either parties, provides an inherent support to the process of dialogue. The challenging issues are demilitarisation and opening up the strife-torn country for humanitarian supplies.
The foremost task before the delegates, however, should be to agree that they would not go back to fighting. A political consensus is badly needed on this front, which should take into account the fluid regional situation. Such an aspect, nonetheless, seems to be around as intensive talks have been held in Sanaa, Riyadh and Muscat, setting the tone for a possible deal in Kuwait. This is from where the feuding sides should pick up the momentum in an attempt to end the year-and-half-old civil war. The inset of Daesh is one of the biggest security threats to its integrity. That can only be ward off through a durable political solution to the dispute. The delegates are in the spotlight and it is expected of them that they would come out with an amicable deal in the mandated two-week duration. Yemenis cannot wait any further for heaving a sigh of relief.