Last week, UN Special Envoy for Yemen Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed announced the details of a plan to effectively remove the governorate of al-Hudaydah from the Yemeni civil war. The plan does far more than propose a ceasefire for the vital port city; it also includes the payment of salaries to civil servants, and spells out the role of the international community. If implemented, the “al-Hudaydah Plan” could serve as a model for a nation-wide peace agreement. The Government of President Hadi and the Government of Egypt have reportedly announced their support for the plan, it is not yet clear whether any of the other warring parties will agree to the plan. Below is the YPP’s English translation of the plan, as presented by the UN Special Envoy to the Arab League.
Provisions of the Agreement:
The declaration, by the United Nations, that the Governorate of al-Hudaydah is a safe zone, free from armed conflict.
The halting of any military intervention against the province by the Saudi-led coalition.
The withdrawal of armed Houthis from all the directorates of the governorate, in addition to the withdrawal of revolutionary committees or any faction that does not belong to the governmental institutions or departments.
The governorate to be managed through a third Yemeni party who is not affiliated with the legitimate government nor the Houthi-Saleh alliance. This is to be done through the Supreme Council of the Governorate of al-Hudaydah.
The various key parties can participate in the council with one member each (Al-Mu’tamar (GPC), Ansar Allah (Houthi Movement), Islah Party, and the Hadi government), along with three to five persons who are not affiliated with the mentioned parties. One of those nonpartisan members will be assigned as the president of the council.
The formation of the main sub-committees of the Council (to include those who have not participated in the military operations or were not previously a part of the administrative parties):
1) The security and military committee
2) The Port reconstructions and operation committee
3) The airport reconstructions and operation committee
4) The services Committee
The members of the province’s local council should work with the aforementioned committees and the local cadres of the council should work with the administration of those committees.
The United Nations and the international community should support the Supreme Council of the Governorate of al-Hudaydah with a full team of experts in various sectors (administrative, economic, and security) to help provide the necessary advice during the work of the Supreme Council.
The Central Bank of Yemen is obliged to open a branch in the governorate, provided that the branch administration is assigned to Arab cadres approved by the United Nations. The administration of the branch should be assigned to the branch staff who were present before 2010.
The Yemeni commercial banks are obliged to open branches in the province.
The World Bank or a U.N. entity will supervise the central bank branch in al-Hudaydah.
The international community must ensure the distribution of the employees’ salaries in the various governorates of the Republic according to the statements of entitlement for 2014, and the customs and taxes should be collected and supplied to the Central Bank branch in al-Hudaydah. Additionally, the oil and gas revenues should be supplied for the Central Bank of Yemen in al-Hudaydah.
The international community must cover the salary deficit for at least one year through the World Bank.
The salaries of three last months should be paid in lump sum, and the salaries of the remaining past months must be scheduled to be paid in four installments with each installment to be paid in a due month.
The administrative and technical staff that worked in 2010 will manage the services facilities of the province of al-Hudaydah and will provide the necessary expertise from outside the governorate or from outside Yemen if required.
The military cadres that worked in 2010 and were based in al-Hudaydah will protect the facilities in al-Hudaydah Governorate. The command of these units shall be assigned to military officers who have not participated in the military operations by the main two parties of the conflict.
To create trust and ensure the implementation [of these articles], the following countries shall open their consulates in the governorate of al-Hudaydah, United States; United Kingdom; Russia; China; France; Germany; Jordan and; Egypt. Any other Arab or foreign country can open its consulate as it desires.
To ensure the flow of aid, humanitarian organizations should open branches in the province of al-Hudaydah.
Yemen Airlines is required to operate three flights a day to ensure Yemen is connected to the outside world.
Operating weekly flights to one of these Arab countries either Jordan or Egypt.
The formation of a Shura Council consisting of natives of al-Hudaydah and includes people from:
Business
Civil society organizations
Unions and federations
Scholars and sheikhs [clerics]
Young people
Women
To total thirty members.
The international community must ensure the provision of the basic services described below:
1) The reconstruction of the port and the provision of 6 cranes
2) The reconstruction of al-Hudaydah Airport
3) Providing 200 MW of electricity
4) Providing diesel and oil with international prices without increasing
5) The reconstruction of the water and sewage sector and the provision of equipment
6) The reconstruction of the cleaning sector.
7) The reconstruction of the health sector and the provision of support from foreign cadres.
8) The reconstruction of the education sector
9) The provision of financial support for the maintenance of the province in accordance with the budget to be agreed upon by the international community.