Narrative progress overview on activities: January 1 – June 30, 2017 Project: Assist the UN-led mediation process to bring an end to the conflict in Yemen Narrative progress overview on activities January 1 – June 30, 2017 The following presents a narrative progress overview on activities contributing toward Result 2.1 of the project ‘Assist the UN-led mediation process to bring an end to the conflict in Yemen’ over the period January 1 – June 30, 2017. Result: 2.1 From July 2016 onwards, the views of southern leaders are fed into Track 1 peacemaking in order to enhance the official process. Activities contributing to result 2.1: Activity: Mapping In order to reach an improved understanding of the various grievances, interests and concerns of different southern groups the EIP conducted a mapping exercise. The mapping, constituting a continuous process, has been carried out throughout 2016 and 2017 with support from the EIP'S Yemen Political Advisor, local expertise, Yemen experts, and the Office of the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen. Although a formal publication of findings has not yet been produced, insight gained from Yemen experts has informed the EIP’s choice of facilitated dialogue participants and topics of focus during meetings and facilitated dialogues. The EIP will use outputs from strategic dialogues and consultations with Yemenis to build a UN-OSE oriented report, that will be shared with the UN and donor governments at the end of the project period. This activity has also entailed building a network of contacts with other agencies engaged in Yemen. The EIP has maintained contact with organisations such as Berghof, Partners Yemen, ICRD, CMI, UN OCHA, WFP and the ICRC. Activity: Dialogues with southern leaders Strategic dialogues: The strategic dialogues are part of the EIP’s efforts to de-escalate tensions in the south, and linking the south to the national peace process. They gather influential southern representatives to discuss key thematic issues of concern to southerners, including the official peace process and its relation to the South, engagement with the international community as well as local and regional challenges. From January to June, three strategic dialogues were held in Amman, Beirut and Salalah, to which a broad range of southern stakeholders were invited. The dialogues provided an environment in which Yemeni participants were encouraged to partake in frank discussions on the political, social and economic grievances of the south, and to identify issues and priorities which could be fed into the official peace process. Attempts were also made to ascertain what architecture would be necessary for the south to engage in the peace process and eventually a constitutional drafting process with the north of the country. The dialogues also looked at southern relations with the international community as well as local and regional relationships which might affect their participation in the longer-term reconciliation process within Yemen. The UN OSE sent a representative to the meetings to present on the UN-led process, answer questions posed by Yemeni participants as well as take into consideration to concerns to participants and feed them back to the UN. Specifically, the dialogues examined the following issues in some detail: - The UN-led peace process – the past, present and future including challenges, constraints and potential input from the south. The session was led by a member of the team of the UN Special Envoy to Yemen. - Update and overview of southern Yemen: summary of key concerns, grievances and goals of the people of the south. This session was led by a leader of a youth movement in the south. - Engagement of and with the international community – to what end. The session was facilitated by EIP. - Identify and discuss local and regional challenges, including foreign intervention and the short to medium term impact this might have on the search for security and stability. This session was facilitated by EIP. - How might the political aspirations of the south be integrated into the peace process and any eventual the constitutional drafting process. This session was facilitated by EIP. - A list of issues of common concern noted. - Identify and record joint recommendations. Findings Workshop 1: Southern Yemen: War and Peace – a Woman’s Perspective April 11th-12th, 2017, Amman, Jordan. The EIP’s first Strategic Dialogue of 2017, ‘War and Peace – a Woman’s Perspective’ brought together a geographically diverse group of 24 prominent women from the south of Yemen in Amman, Jordan. The aim was to discuss the political, social, and economic grievances of the south, their involvement and input into the official political and reconciliation processes and the architecture necessary for the south of Yemen to engage in an eventual constitutional/national reconciliation process drafting process with the north of the country. Summary: After an introductory ‘tour de table’ and overview of EIP’s work on Yemen, day 1 of the strategic dialogue was opened with an overview of the UN-led peace process – the past, present and future including challenges, constraints and solutions, presented by Mr. Kenny Gluck, who was joined by his colleagues Mr. Peter Rice and Ms Radwa Nour. Mr. Gluck engaged with the participants and answered a number of challenging questions. This session provided stimulating debate and set the scene for the afternoon session which went into greater depth, examining the questions of: How can the aspirations of southern women be integrated into inclusive local and national reconciliation processes? And, Identify and discuss local and regional challenges to an inclusive political dialogue. What role can women play in overcoming these challenges? This session proved rich in information and ideas. Participants agreed to produce a public Memorandum, including challenges and recommendations. Common challenges included: • The absence of national and international representation of southern women in the political process. • Arbitrary arrest, enforced disappearance, and detainment of civilians, with no legal basis. • The absence of a national strategy to address the situation in post-war liberated areas • Overlapping jurisdictions and various decision-making bodies. • The absence of a conducive environment for southern women to engage in local politics and in decision-making positions. • Traditions, customs, and tribal heritage, steeped in backwardness, is one of the main obstacles to the societal participation of southern women. • Patriarchal positions and condescending attitudes contribute to the suppression of women’s free speech. • Insecurity and instability in some southern governorates. • The absence of the rule of law and social justice. • The absence of judicial and parliamentary disciplinary bodies, which leads to random arrests. • The presence of armed groups and the preponderance of weapons in the south. • The absence of a clear view of the south and the weakening of the role of regional and international organizations in the political process under current conditions. • Ignoring the 30% quota principle. • Excluding women with expertise and specialization in various fields from carrying out their roles, and instead focusing on one female group. • The destruction of state institutions, infrastructure, and private property, as well as social, economic, and cultural deterioration. • The decrease of job opportunities for youth and preventing them from the right to obtain a job in accordance with expertise and specialization. Joint recommendations included: • The right to self-determination of the south is for southerners to decide. • Any dialogue must be inclusive of all Yemenis and cannot take place alongside military operations. A ceasefire is a prerequisite. • The war of 2015 created a new roadmap for the south with the emergence of new actors, and voices. The framework for engagement has changed and a new means of engagement is required if peace is to be achieved. • Establishing a unified body to enable southerners to participate in the political process in order to achieve peace and stability. • The women of Yemen call for their right to serious and genuine participation in any future negotiations. • The UN must carry out its role and responsibility to protect the Yemeni people and to end the war in Yemen. • The UN must guarantee the equal and full participation of women in any efforts aimed at achieving peace. • Guaranteeing the participation of women in reconstruction, including construction funds and its mechanisms. • Rehabilitation programs should begin immediately, providing employment and education opportunities. • Releasing of prisoners and finding out the fate of those who have been forcibly disappeared, and the opening of airports and seaports in all governorates. • Calling on Yemen’s legitimate government to pay salaries and to honour its duties towards the Yemeni people. Initial feedback from the UNOSEY was especially positive. Mr. Gluck of the UNOSEY stated that the participants were a "particularly interesting group, from prominent families in their respective regions and can talk to their men and leaders" and thanked the EIP for bringing them together, stressing that this dialogue was unique in its geographical and political diversity. Notably all participants are politically/socially active in Yemen, and based in-country. In the aftermath of dialogue, the UNOSEY requested a series of meetings with the women and put several women in touch with Amnesty International for follow-up meetings. Before day 2 of the dialogue, EIP drafted a Memorandum based on the discussions held during day 1. During the morning session, the participants were invited to review and amended the language and content, with the aim of producing a consensual document. While final edits were being made to the Memorandum the UNOSEY led a session on transitional justice and accountability which sparked a heated debate. Mr. Kenny Gluck then returned for the final session and the conclusions. The participants very much appreciated the opportunity to engage first hand with the UN and took full advantage of their presence. The final Memorandum, titled ‘Peace is Our Priority’, was completed and supported by all participants. It outlines a vision for the peaceful future of Yemen, including the key challenges facing Yemen, steps that can be taken to achieve peace and stability and the role of the international community can play. The women delegates from Aden, Lahaj, Abyan, Mahara, Hadramaut and Shabwah together outlined their vision for Yemen. The Memorandum is attached as an Annex to this report. The EIP also took the opportunity to meet with field staff and the UN OSE team to discuss and plan the next strategic dialogue. This meeting will bring together a group of politically active diaspora representatives. It is planned to take place in late May. Conclusion: The inaugural dialogue proved to be a highly fruitful engagement, providing stimulating debate, a variety of viewpoints and in-depth insight from individuals who understand the realities and consequences of the war in Yemen from a local level. The participants produced a concrete working paper that illustrates their vision for Yemen, the challenges they, as women from the south, face, and joint recommendations to work toward peace. The presence of the UN OSE Yemen throughout the meetings meant that outputs were fed directly to the UN OSE. All documents produced will also be shared with the UN team for consideration as the peace process moves forward. All of the participants were eager to build on the progress made and ensure its impact is sustainable. The EIP ensured that the contact details of everyone present were shared in order to maintain a line of communication outside of dialogues and meetings. As stated in the project’s objectives, the EIP will also make sure that all future strategic dialogues benefit from the presence and participation of women representatives. The group of women have been independently active inside Yemen since the Workshop. They have convened together, amended their jointly produced memorandum, and made preparations for the next full gathering. Following the success of this meeting the Dutch MFA agreed to fund a women’s track as a new activity that forms part of EIP’s Yemen file. Under this activity EIP will be holding the next round of meetings with the women in Amman on October 25-26, 2017. 23 women leaders, from across the south of Yemen have confirmed their attendance. Lessons learned: All participants were able to attend the meeting. Nonetheless logistical issues posed unforeseen challenges. Delays in both inbound and outbound flights from/to Yemen meant that participants had to spend more time in Amman than foreseen. This meant that the overall costs of the meeting increased, and the personal costs of participants also increased. To help address such challenges during future meetings the EIP will hold larger sums of money while on mission in order to cover unforeseen expenses that may arise from logistical issues. Data collection: • 24 female Yemeni participants from the south of Yemen; • 4 EIP staff members (Senior Mediation Advisor, Programme Officer, Programme Assistant, Yemeni support staff); • 3 UN OSE Yemen representatives (Kenny Gluck, Peter Rice and Radwa Nour); Workshop 2: Southern Yemen: War and Peace – The Perspective of the Southern Political Diaspora 22-23 May 2017, Beirut, Lebanon. EIP held its second Strategic Dialogue - War and Peace, The View of the Southern Political Diaspora, in Beirut 22-23 May 2017. There were 16 participants in attendance, seven of which were women who came from as far away as the US and as close as Beirut. A representative of the Office of the Special Envoy of the Secretary General to Yemen (OSESGY) was also in attendance and provided a presentation, followed by a Q&A session, on the current peace process. The participants were encouraged, by the presence of the representative that their messages would forwarded directly to the Special Envoy. The objective of the Dialogue was to discuss the political, social, and economic grievances of the south, their involvement and input into the official political and reconciliation processes and the architecture necessary for the south of Yemen to engage in any political or peace process. Summary: On Day 1, after an introductory ‘tour de table’, an introduction to EIP and an overview of EIP’s work in Yemen and elsewhere, a representative of the OSESGY, Mr. Khalid Fattah, provided an overview of the UN-led peace process, including past efforts and the current constraints to restarting the peace process. This session provided stimulating debate and an opportunity for the participants to send messages to the Special Envoy and his office. It also set the scene for the subsequent sessions which examined the challenges faced by southerners in having their aspirations integrated into an inclusive peace process and what role the southern political diaspora could play in overcoming these challenges. It was an open and constructive, albeit on occasion heated debate on the current political/military situation, including the lack of inclusion of the south in the current peace process. Given the recent formation of the Transitional Council in Aden, it was a subject of much debate, including whether it is representative of the south, its ability to provide essential services and become a fulcrum of cohesion and unity of purpose in the south. The Transitional Council’s potential was also contrasted against the inability of the “legitimate” government of President Hadi to provide any of the above mentioned functions. The interlocutors agreed that the status quo was no longer tenable. If something was not done immediately, they predicted a level of chaos which would be hard to scroll back from. The lack of educational services, youth unemployment, the growing poverty and the associated humanitarian consequences were facilitating the growth of extremism and terrorism and driving young men towards radicalism. Putting an end to this trajectory was deemed imperative. The people of the south are desperate for basic state sponsored social services to restart, but understand this will not be possible until a minimum level of security is restored, including a functioning system of governance. The health and education sectors have been badly affected and need immediate attention, while the restoration of the electric grid and the economy were felt to be of equal importance. There was also a demand for the UN provide assistance to liberated areas and an expression of severe disappointment that the international community had abandoned the south, but is working with the north, including on the peace process. It was agreed the political situation pre-2015 and in the post-2015 period are radically different and a new approach is required, especially as it does not seem possible to unify the polity of the south. However, according to some, there is a sense that the Transitional Council is the beginning of a credible, legitimate and representative entity which should become the interlocutor with the north, the region and with the international community. Through this platform, the south could cohere and project itself with a higher degree of unity of voice and purpose than has been the case in the past, but many also fear its detractors will not permit the Transitional Council to establish itself. The disunity in the south was evident in discussions on who or what could lead the south out of war and into a new period of security, reconciliation and eventual rehabilitation. Many argued the new Transitional Council was the obvious platform to push forward the southern cause, while others called into question its legitimacy and effectiveness, while still others argued that there was already the “legitimate” government, warts and all. At one point one interlocutor stated that people should not be raising expectations or “selling unrealistic dreams” because the Transitional Council could not meet the needs of the people. Finally, there was even a call for the “legitimate” government to meet and work with the Transitional Council in an effort to end the crisis in the south. A number of interlocutors argued that it would be difficult to ascertain who or what entity could legitimately represent the people given that insecurity proscribed the holding of elections, referendums, polls, or other means of identifying who the majority of the people backed, with at least one person going so far as to say that it was time for the south to stop saying they had leaders because they didn’t! Many called for the UN host a comprehensive and inclusive leadership conference, in lieu of an election or a poll, while others felt the south had not been adequately represented in the National Dialogue and requested an international sponsored conference, similar to the National Dialogue, to tackle south-south issues. For the first time, southern representatives argued that it was time to leave the past behind, including old leaders, and more importantly to stop blaming the north for all the south’s troubles. That in the end it was up to the south to seek solutions to its problems and stop relying on others to come to its aid, but once again it would not be possible without some form of political unity, of both voice and action, and the return of an acceptable degree of security. Others went further and voiced strong reservations with the continuing diagnosis of the south’s problems without ever tackling any of the problems. The south is perplexed by the manner in which the UN is dealing with the war in Yemen. They believe that the war cannot be resolved without adequately dealing with its causes, including the south, but the south has been excluded. They also called into question the logic of engaging with the Houthi and Ali Abdullah Saleh, the usurpers of power, but not the south, which, unlike the north, was once actually a state. After two days of intensive debate on the nature of the state, leadership, political inclusion and how the south might coalesce in order to effectively deal with the north, the region and the international community, there was no agreement on way forward. The one point the participants did agree on was the need to prepare and publish a Memorandum of their findings, outlined below and attached in the public Memorandum (see attached). Common challenges included: 1. The complexities of the current political and security situation in Yemen represent the greatest challenge to the South's ability to make its case on the regional and international arena. 2. The international community's unwillingness to integrate / involve the South in the international talks. 3. The lack of regional vision to address the humanitarian situation in the liberated areas 4. The war destroyed state institutions and provision of services, including the structures of government and the judiciary. 5. The inability of the legitimate government to rehabilitate education, health and electricity services and to undertake any form of development. 6. The economy is in a state of total collapse. 7. There is a direct link between youth unemployment and the emergence of extremism and the attraction of large numbers of young people to armed movements. 8. The current situation is untenable because its continuation means that young people are increasingly turning to extremist ideas. Joint recommendations included: 1. The issue of the South is exclusively a national cause it is not a human rights or social cause. 2. Rehabilitate state institutions and restore the rule of law in the liberated areas. 3. Build the capacities of southern leaders to run state institutions in the south. 4. Invite international and regional organizations to open offices in Aden or Hadramaut. 5. Requested the United Nations to support the Transitional Council in organizing a National Comprehensive Conference for the South. 6. Establish a joint working committee facilitate communication between the Transitional Council and the international community. 7. International community to support southern institutions to counter the threat of terrorism. 8. The participation of southerners who hold the cause of the south in any dialogue or political endeavour. 9. The international community to alleviate human suffering in the liberated and occupied areas. EIP also took the opportunity of the Dialogue to meet with field based staff and several participants to discuss and plan the next Strategic Dialogue. The next meeting will take place in mid-July and will bring together internal and external members of the powerful business community. Conclusion: The Strategic Dialogue provided an opportunity to engage with politically active members of the southern Yemeni diaspora in a stimulating informative debate. The participants produced a concrete working paper illustrating their vision for the future of the south and the challenges they face on getting there. The presence of a representative from the Office of the Special Envoy for the duration of the meeting was reassuring and informative at the same time. The products of the meeting will be shared with the UN team for consideration. All of the participants were eager to build on the progress made and ensure its impact is sustainable. EIP will ensure the contact details of the participants are shared to preserve the newly established lines of communication. Data collection: • 16 Yemeni participants (including 7 women) from the south of Yemen; • 3 EIP staff members (Senior Mediation Advisor, Programme Assistant, Yemeni support staff); • 1 UN OSE Yemen representatives (Khaled Fattah); Workshop 3: Southern Yemen: War and Peace – The Business Community’s Perspective Salalah, Oman 19-20 July 2017 Note: Logistics in and out of southern Yemen represented a major challenge over the summer months as Yemenia Airlines flights were grounded due to maintenance. A number of participants had flights out of Aden cancelled at short notice, while others opted to take the land route out of Yemen to Oman, an arduous 2-3 day drive, only to have their visas revoked at the last-minute at the Omani border. Omani officials also sent a clear message that they did not wish our meeting to go ahead, despite previously granting permission. All of the diaspora business leaders (6 in total) and 2 UN OSE reps made is safely to the hotel. However the participants travelling by land border were denied entry. With much back-and-forth liaison with the UN and the British Embassy, it became clear that the Omani authorities has rescinded the authorisation to hold the meeting and would not permit the remaining participants to enter Oman. Even the intervention of the UN Special Envoy and the British Ambassador was not enough to allay Omani concerns. EIP’s Executive Director susequently travelled to Muscat to meet with the British ambassador with the aim of easing relations with the Omanis and setting up a meeting with Colonel Hilal, the Omani Ambassador to Yemen. EIP is still in the process of arranging a formal meeting with Omani authorities. It was clear that Omani security were in touch with the hotel, so we did not risk hosting a formal meeting. Instead we held a series of working lunches/dinners and bi-lateral consultations with the participants to make the most of our time in Oman. The group was made up of highly influential, powerful and wealthy business-people. Each in turn they presented their vision for the future of the south of Yemen and the vital role that the business community will play in the political transition process and in eventual reconstruction. One participant has already produced his own proposal to create a southern economic council that could act as a platform both for the southern voice to heard and as a mechanism to work on rebuilding social services and investing in infrastructure. Jihad Abbas, a businesswomen from Aden (based between London and Dubai) was particularly vocal and constructive. She spoke of her desire to involve as many young female entrepreneurs as possible and worked with us to produce an expanded participant list, inclusive of both the established older generation of business leaders, as well as those who represent the future. In this regard we liaised closely with all the participants who made it to organise a larger dialogue in October in Amman, where Yemenis can secure visas upon arrival. On October 10-11, EIP will bring together a group of 25 businessmen and women and build on the fruitful discussions we comenced had in Salalah earlier this summer. Dialogues to influence the Track 1 process The aforementioned dialogues had the objective of ensuring that UN-led process creates much needed space for the concerns and aspirations of the south to be heard and for political actors in the south to broaden and increase their engagement with the international community, which has been very limited to date. Involving Southern leaders in the Track 1 process will contribute to a more comprehensive mediation process. The presence of a UN observer at all meetings and the facilitation of face to face meetings between key southern representatives and members of the UN OSE team during workshop periods has given southern representatives the chance to engage directly with the track 1 process. Other work contributing to Result 2.1: 1. Collaboration with UN OSE Yemen and international stakeholders The EIP has met with the UN OSE Yemen on a regular basis. These meetings are part of a continuous process of feeding southern opinions and opportunities for curbing the destabilisation garnered through the strategic dialogues to the UN-led mediation process. The EIP met with the Special Envoy Mr. Ismail Ould Cheikh, and Kenny Gluck, the former Director and Deputy to the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen, in New York and in Amman, Jordan, as well as through teleconference, on multiple occasions. The OSE team has provided updates on the official peace talks as well as input on the EIP’s work on the South. In February, the UN also noted that UN flights to Aden are due to resume within a month, thus granting the EIP another means of access to the south. The UN also offered to provide a list of southern Yemenis who are well qualified to work with the EIP as field staff, liaising with southern representatives and working to resolve logistical challenges. EIP has hired a local project officer based in Aden upon this recommendation. The UN OSE was present at the strategic dialogue sessions, both presenting on the UN’s role in the peace process and listening to the opinions and concerns posed by Southern representatives. This allowed the UN unique access to southern leaders from regions where the UN has very limited access, thus providing a mechanism for beginning the process of channelling Southern political views into Yemen peace process. The EIP will remain in contact with the UN OSE on a continuous basis to receive advanced warning in order to mitigate the risk of last-minute cancellation or postponement of activities and put in place alternative plans. The EIP’s Yemen-based staff will be able to coordinate locally, communicate with participants and provide early warning of any changes in the conflict. The EIP has met with The Delegation of the European Union to Yemen in Brussels to discuss ways in which the EIP and the EU can work together or complement each other’s work. The EIP met with representatives of the MFA Netherlands in December to discuss the workshops, progress made and next steps to be taken in 2017. The next meeting with the Dutch MFA is planned for October 16th . The EIP has been working closely with the UK government who have provided advice, contacts and support in securing visas for entry into Yemen. EIP has now secured GoY visas and is planning a trip to Sana’a in early October to engage with local authorities in support of the UN Special Envoy. 2. Building a network in the South The EIP has built a rapport with experts on the south of Yemen and maintains contact with organisations such as Berghof, Partners Yemen, ICRD and CMI. Liaison with southern experts will continue to ensure accurate representation of southerners at facilitated dialogues and to maintain an informed understanding of the south of Yemen. These meetings are part of a continuous process of triangulating reports on southern dynamics and players. The EIP has focussed on building in-country contacts and networks in order to improve access to all conflict parties. This includes hiring two full-time staff based in Yemen. Additionally, in the event that future meetings with southern leaders are prevented due to similar challenges, the EIP has set-up contingency plans to allow for the continuation of planned activities. This includes holding meetings through a virtual platform, using technology to gather the views of southerners and working more closely with partner organisations with a ground presence. To date, the EIP has hired two new staff members based in Yemen. The EIP has also hired a Yemen expert, based in the US. They have begun assisting EIP with preparations (including suggesting participants, communication with participants and providing updates on the situation in Yemen) for our strategic dialogues as well as conduct consultations with Yemenis in country and begin work on a report that will combine the results of the EIP’s dialogues and consultations.