Yemen’s President Steps Aside Amid Efforts to End War

President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi delegated his powers (Reuters) to a governing council in an effort to boost Yemen’s fragile peace efforts. Saudi Arabia, the main backer of Yemen’s government, called for talks with the Houthi rebels. The two sides began observing a cease-fire on Saturday, the war’s first coordinated, nationwide truce since 2016.

Hadi’s departure could help mend divisions in the war’s anti-Houthi coalition; the United Arab Emirates (UAE) had privately called for his ouster (Bloomberg). Saudi Arabia and the UAE each agreed to provide $1 billion to Yemen’s central bank, and Riyadh pledged an additional $1 billion to buy oil and support development projects. The seven-year-old war has left 80 percent of Yemen’s population in need of humanitarian assistance, the United Nations said.

Analysis

“Hadi was one of the biggest obstacles to any kind of serious progress towards peace in Yemen. He was weak, corrupt and unable to build a strong coalition to seriously confront the Houthis. Devil will be in the details, but this is a positive step,” the University of Ottawa’s Thomas Juneau tweets.

“Although it may seem premature to consider Yemen’s postconflict future given the ongoing hostilities, it is arguably in Saudi Arabia’s interest not just to cease its military incursion but also to help shore up its neighbor politically and economically,” Princeton University’s Asher Orkaby writes for Foreign Affairs.

This Backgrounder explains the war in Yemen.

Pacific Rim

China’s COVID-19 Lockdowns Delay Product Shipments

Lockdowns in Shanghai and other cities have hampered (FT) the trucking industry’s ability to move goods to Chinese ports. Analysts predict the disruptions will cause global shipping delays.

Australia: Heavy rains and flooding caused more than two thousand people to flee their homes (SMH) around Sydney. It is some people’s third evacuation in a month.

South and Central Asia

Thailand Reportedly Sends Thousands of Refugees Back to Myanmar

The Associated Press found that Thailand sent thousands of people back to Myanmar after they fled following last year’s coup. A spokesperson for Thailand’s foreign ministry said the refugees returned voluntarily and that the country adhered to international laws that forbid returning refugees to countries where they could be harmed.

Pakistan: The Supreme Court will today rule on the legality (Dawn) of the dismissal of a no-confidence vote against Prime Minister Imran Khan and the subsequent dissolution of the National Assembly, which is Pakistan’s lower house of Parliament.

For the Asia Unbound blog, Zahid Hussain unpacks Pakistan’s political crisis.

Middle East and North Africa

Turkey’s Trial of Suspected Khashoggi Killers Moves to Saudi Arabia

The trial in absentia of twenty-six Saudis was transferred (AP) as Ankara tries to improve relations with Riyadh. Human rights groups warned that transferring the trial of journalist Jamal Khashoggi’s suspected killers could lead to a cover-up.

Sub-Saharan Africa

Sudan’s Junta Reportedly Preparing Transition Deal

The junta’s plan for a transitional government would cement the army’s control until elections are held next year, Reuters reported. The ruling military commanders have faced continued pro-democracy protests since carrying out a coup in October.

Burkina Faso: A court found former President Blaise Compaore guilty of complicity (Guardian) in the 1987 murder of his predecessor, Thomas Sankara. Compaore fled to the Ivory Coast in 2014 and was tried in absentia.

For the Africa in Transition blog, CFR’s Ebenezer Obadare explains why Compaore’s conviction is good news for Africa.

Europe

UN General Assembly to Vote on Suspending Russia From Rights Council

The UN General Assembly will vote (Al Jazeera) today on a U.S.-sponsored resolution to suspend Russia from the UN Human Rights Council over reports that its forces killed civilians in Ukraine. Ukrainian officials warned of further killings and urged people (WSJ) in the eastern Donetsk, Kharkiv, and Luhansk regions to flee due to signs of an imminent Russian offensive.

CFR lays out everything to know about the war in Ukraine.

Armenia/Azerbaijan: The countries said they were preparing for peace talks (AFP) at a meeting hosted by European Council President Charles Michel in Brussels yesterday.

Americas

Cuban Exodus to U.S. Is Largest Since 1980

U.S. authorities are on track to apprehend (WaPo) four times as many Cubans at the U.S.-Mexico border this fiscal year than in 2021. Analysts attributed the increase to Nicaragua dropping a visa requirement for Cubans and the continuation of harsh U.S. sanctions on Cuba.

This Backgrounder looks at U.S.-Cuba relations.

El Salvador: Press freedom advocates criticized a new law (AFP) that criminalizes spreading messages related to gangs, saying it could be used to jail reporters who cover organized crime.

United States

Senate Approves Revival of Lend-Lease Program for Ukraine

The World War II–era program would allow Washington (Politico) to more efficiently send weapons to Ukraine. It was unclear whether the House of Representatives will consider the bill before Congress’s two-week recess begins today.

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