Yemen praises Turkey’s humanitarian role in region

By Fuat Kabakci

ANKARA

Yemeni Foreign Minister Abdulmalik al-Mekhlafi says he expects Turkey’s assumption last week of the chairmanship of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to have a "positive effect".

The 13th OIC summit, which ended on Friday in Istanbul, saw Turkey assume the organization’s rotating chairmanship from Egypt, which it will hold for the next two years.

It was the first time for Turkey to host the two-day event since the OIC’s inception in 1969.

This year’s summit discussed means of promoting unity and solidarity between Muslim countries, especially in regards to the ongoing fight against terrorism.

At a series of high-level meetings, the leaders of several Muslim countries discussed recent developments in Syria, Yemen, Palestine, Iraq and Azerbaijan.

Following the summit, al-Mekhlafi spoke to Anadolu Agency about recent developments in Yemen and the prospects for peace in the war-weary country.

"We must sustain peace; the Yemeni government didn’t want war," he said. "We’re hoping to achieve peace through the upcoming negotiations in Kuwait."

Peace talks between the Yemeni government headed by President Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi and representatives of the Shia Houthi militant group -- which overran much of the country in 2014 -- are expected to kick off in Kuwait on Monday.

"The government, for its part, is committed to complying with the ongoing cease-fire," al-Mekhlafi asserted. "But if Houthi violations [of the cease-fire] continue, there will be retaliation -- and this could impact the peace talks."

"They [the Houthis] must surrender their weapons and withdraw from areas they occupied earlier; otherwise, we won’t reach a deal," he said.

"Nevertheless," he added, "we believe upcoming talks in Kuwait and Switzerland will see some progress."

He also noted that much of Yemen’s population was in dire need of assistance, going on to thank Turkey for its ongoing humanitarian aid deliveries.

"With Turkey’s support, construction of two new hospitals will soon be completed in Aden and Taiz, while Turkish ships bearing food and medical supplies continue to reach our country," al-Mekhlafi said.

Turkey, he went on to assert, "is currently playing the biggest humanitarian role in the Islamic world."