Yemen: Political groups participate in positive dialogue on constitutional system of government

On 26-28 February 2018, International IDEA hosted a dialogue session in Tunis between Yemen’s main political entities regarding their country’s future constitutional system of government. The dialogue session was organized in the context of a larger project that was first launched in April 2017 aimed at supporting the United Nations-led peace process. International IDEA’s project is fully funded by the German Federal Foreign Office.

هذا المقال متيسر باللغة العربية

The dialogue session was the 17th meeting organized by International IDEA in the context of its support to Yemen’s peace process. In the past, International IDEA’s activities were attended by members of political entities as well as civil society representatives. The dialogue session that took place on 26-28 February 2018 was the first that was organized for Yemen’s main political entities, based on a request from the parties themselves.  

The dialogue session’s objective was to allow Yemen’s main political entities to engage directly with each other on issues relating to Yemen’s future constitutional system of government. Participants were encouraged to exchange views on all the issues that were included in the agenda. The objective was not to negotiate or even to attempt to negotiate a new agreement between the parties. 

The dialogue session’s agenda included a variety of issues, all of which related to Yemen’s future constitutional system of government. Amongst other things, participants discussed options for Yemen’s future federal system of government and potential interim governance arrangements in the period immediately following a peace agreement. 

The discussions that took place at the dialogue session were very positive. Zaid Al-Ali, International IDEA’s Senior Programme Officer on constitution building issues, chaired the dialogue session and expressed optimism for the future. Al-Ali said that “[d]espite very difficult circumstances, the discussions that took place at the dialogue session were constructive. The atmosphere between the parties was friendly and encouraging for the future”.

International IDEA’s project to support the United Nations-led peace process will continue in the coming period. A representative from the United Nations Office of the Special Envoy of the Secretary General for Yemen (UNOSESGY) was present at the dialogue session and participated as an observer to the discussions that took place.