Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi has a tough task to deliver

Hadi, who enjoys international and regional recognition, should play his cards in a statesmanship manner.

Published: Wed 18 Nov 2015, 11:00 PM

Last updated: Thu 19 Nov 2015, 9:49 AM

The conflict in Yemen has taken a new turn with the return of exiled President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi. The fact that he chose to fly back to Aden to apparently lead a new offensive against the Houthi rebels reflects his position of strength in the changing geopolitical scenario. Efforts to reinstall him back in power have seen Saudi Arabia-led coalition launching air strikes in March, followed by ground offensive. The ensuing war has literally Balkanised the country and led to displacement of millions of Yemenis. The country is in tatters and there is no central government at work. Thus, it would be a tough task for Hadi to call the shots, and it remains to be seen what will be his strategy in choreographing his strife-torn country towards a permanent ceasefire, and subsequent nation building.
There is, however, a silver lining as far as diplomacy is concerned. The United Nations-brokered peace talks on Yemen crisis are scheduled to resume by month-end, and this is no less than an opportunity in disaster to put the country back on track. Hadi and other stakeholders will have to take a holistic note of ground realities, and come up with genuine and workable proposals to bring the conflict to an end.
At the heart of dispute is marginalisation of Yemen's minorities and the desire on their part to see a federal system take roots. In fact, it has been an issue of governance discord that slid one of the poorest and most-populated Arab countries into chaos and anarchy.
Last but not the least, the presence of Al Qaeda and the like have been a constant destabilising factor, and they need to be flushed out. An instant ceasefire between Iran-backed Houthis and other elements fighting in Yemen is the way to go ahead. Hadi, who enjoys international and regional recognition, should play his cards in a statesmanship manner. Only then Yemen will be able to see peace and stability.