Assist the UN-Led Mediation Process to Bring an End to the Conflict in Yemen- Final Report

Recognising the complexity, the impact, and the humanitarian toll of the conflict in Yemen, the Institute has invested its efforts in contributing to the attainment of lasting and inclusive peace in Yemen since 2015. At the request of the OSESGY, the Institute has focused on Southern Yemen since 2017 and has been one of the few and most consistent active Track II actors since. During the grant period, the Institute’s work in Southern Yemen centred on the objective of supporting the UN-led peace process. This was achieved by providing a granular understanding of the issues that affect Southern Yemen and the main actors and by supporting the OSESGY’s ability to call on Southern leaders to participate in the nation-wide process. The Institute’s vision for this project is based on an approach that intended to develop a politically inclusive dialogue platform and in parallel support gender and youth initiatives to contribute to building peace. Over the reporting period, the Institute successfully launched its platform work, culminating in the organisation of direct and multilateral forum talks in Amman and Brussels. The Institute also ensured the continued development and support of the Southern Women for Peace Group, empowering them to increase their stature, capacity and contribution within the peace process. The outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic came at a time when Yemen had already been described as the worst humanitarian crisis in the world. Widely underreported, the true toll of the pandemic remains unknown in Yemen. International travel restrictions and lockdowns required the Institute to review its work plans and modes of operation. Despite the challenges, the Institute was still able to make significant progress in 2020, taking advantage of web-based engagement and training. The Institute also focused on the monitoring and reporting of the pandemic’s impact, sharing its reports with partners and interlocutors throughout 2020. Discussions with Yemeni interlocutors, the OSESGY and international partners, complemented by internal analysis, prompted the Institute to design a more formal process design and implementation strategy, meant to structure the Institute's approach and account for the integration of South Yemeni political factions within the Government of Yemen (GoY). As stated in the project proposal the Institute intended to support Southern representatives to articulate and convey a more broadly supported vision for Southern Yemen and its future. The Institute planned activities including bilateral discussions, extensive consultations and facilitated dialogues, meant to equip Southern representatives with the necessary tools and space to pursue a coherent political platform. Prior to the period covered by this grant, the Institute had already begun the process of engaging influential Southern leaders from different political factions, armed groups, women and youth groups, and civil society and built on an initial series of strategic dialogues.