This past week at the National Dialogue Conference (NDC) saw signs of progress from the Southern and Sa’ada Issue Working Groups. Both issues have been recognized as priorities in the NDC agenda.
Political party representatives completed presentations based on their understandings of the ‘root’ causes of the Sa’ada issue. Meanwhile, party representatives are still working to complete their presentations for the Southern issue.
The presentations have been widely regarded by NDC members as positive steps which can pave the way for solutions to these key issues in particular - and for a successful National Dialogue in general. The Sa’ada Issue Working Group assigned its documentation committee to summarize the various party understandings to better enable the group members to develop a united vision moving forward.
Group Chairwoman Nabila Al-Zubair said all understandings and impressions were nearing key points of convergence. She added that the development of a single vision would signify the prelude to a solution for the Sa’ada issue.
In a move which will likely positively influence southern NDC members, Yemeni President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi gave an order for a number of southern political detainees to be released from Sana’a prisons.
Sana’a’s Movenpick Hotel, the main site of the NDC, saw several protests by NDC members, including the one by southern representatives on the anniversary of the declaration of war on April 27, 1994. Other protests were staged for the purpose of rejecting insecurity and continuing assassinations Yemen; demanding the release of Yemeni detainees abroad and bringing attention to the matter of enforced in-country disappearances; and demanding improved conditions for Yemeni workers.
Also, NDC members staged a demonstration at which they held up placards condemning forms of slavery that continue to exist in some Yemeni areas, including Hajja governorate, which straddles the Yemeni-Saudi Arabian border.
NDC activities also included lectures delivered by foreign and Yemeni experts to working group members.
In her lecture to the National Issues and Transitional Justice Working Group, Cori Crider, the legal officer for the British Reprieve Organization, advised group members to take a stand against violations of Yemeni airspace by U.S. warplanes which are operated under the pretext of fighting terrorism in Yemen. Crider also recommended enacting laws to restrict violations of Yemen’s airspace. She added that the Reprieve Organization was monitoring all airspace violations in Yemen.
“Reprieve is also seeking to convey the truth to the U.S. media about victims of drone strikes amid media blackouts concerning the real numbers of victims and the general situation in Yemen,” said Crider. “The solution to the air violations for a law to be formulated which can ensure Yemen’s sovereignty and enhance its power to prosecute Yemeni outlaws,” she added.
The past week saw other advances in the implementation of working group plans. The Good Governance Working Group started carrying out field visits to particular government offices; meanwhile, other groups have plans to begin making field visits this coming week.
At the Independence of Special Entities Working Group, Deputy Chairman of the Supreme National Anti-Corruption Commission Bilqis Abu Osba said legislative deficiencies had been affecting the commission’s performance. She added that such deficiencies present challenges to anti-corruption efforts on the ground while also restricting the power of supervisory authorities.
At a meeting of the Special Entities Working Group, Civil Service Minister Nabil Shamsan said the widespread phenomenon of government employees also having private sector jobs represented one of the main causes of Yemen’s high unemployment rates.
Working Group Activity
At the State-Building Working Group, political party representatives completed presentations of their visions of Yemen’s identity; over the coming week, they will present their visions of the structure of the Yemeni state.
On Tuesday, Good Governance Working Group members made field visits to the headquarters of both the Central Organization for Control and Auditing and the National Women’s Committee. The Working Group also heard from political party representatives on the subject of promoting good governance principles in Yemen.
Meanwhile, British military expert Andrew Cordry delivered three lectures on basic standards for building up a nation’s military and security forces to the Military and Security Working Group.
Yemeni experts and previous ministers also delivered lectures on the same topic. The working group itself has decided that it will begin visiting military camps in May. The field visit schedule will include two phases: the first visits will take place from May 5-11 May and rest from May 12-17.
Presidency and Secretariat General
President Hadi met with UN Special Advisor to Yemen Jamal Benomar and UN experts who arrived in the capital city of Sana’a for a several-day visit. The UN officials are in Yemen to track the progress of the nation’s political transition, with particular attention paid to the NDC.
The NDC Presidential Board held a meeting with representatives from the nine working groups. A focus was placed on agenda matters, including a plan for the groups’ planned field visits.
NDC Secretary General Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak took part in a lively interview on the social media site Facebook, in which he answered NDC-related questions.
This past week, the Secretariat General also published its first financial report. Including statistics on the funds transferred from the government to NDC members from March 18 to April 5, the report stated that the total amount transferred was $1,134,543.
In coordination with the Wajooh Organization for Development, the Secretariat General Organization for Development organized a special meeting for 20 NDC members and civil society organization members. In coordination with the National Democratic Institute, the Secretariat General also organized a workshop for the working group chairpersons, dedicated to the use of public relations approaches and techniques.
Secretariat General Spokesman Hossam Al-Sharjabi delivered lectures to some working groups on expected NDC results.
“The first thing Yemen will do after the NDC finishes in September will be the formulation of a new constitution that will lay the groundwork for a new era of prosperity and for a modern civil state,” he said.
The attendance rate for NDC members over the past week was 88%.
