23 September 2026: The Human Rights and Humanitarian Track of the National Peace Movement hosted a webinar titled “Civilians Caught Between Escalation and Forced Displacement: Humanitarian and Rights Implications of Recent Developments in Yemen.” The session was moderated by Huda Al-Sarari, Head of the Track, and brought together a panel of human rights and humanitarian experts.
The discussion highlighted the mounting strain on basic services and host communities, alongside legal frameworks required to safeguard vulnerable populations, as presented by attorney Amal Al-Sabri. Additionally, Dr. Angela Al-Maamari detailed the psychological toll of conflict and forced displacement, advocating for the integration of mental health support into core humanitarian responses.
The event concluded with key recommendations emphasizing stronger civilian protection, continuous updating of displacement data, and sustainable funding that empowers local organizations. Panelists also urged a gradual transition from emergency relief toward long-term recovery and community resilience, reinforcing the National Peace Movement’s commitment to developing actionable strategies for lasting peace in Yemen.
18 September 2926: The leadership of the National Peace Movement (NPM) held a private virtual meeting with the former UN Special Envoy to Yemen, Mr. Jamal Benomar, in the presence of several members of the NPM’s Board of Trustees and Executive Council.
The meeting addressed the latest developments in Yemen alongside relevant regional and international dynamics, while reviewing the role of civil forces and national movements in supporting pathways to peace and a comprehensive political settlement. Mr. Jamal Benomar commended the efforts and civil initiatives of the NPM, emphasizing the critical importance of prioritizing peaceful dialogue and national consensus among all parties to build a lasting peace.
15 September 2026: The National Peace Movement (NPM) is following with grave concern the rapid military developments along Yemen’s West Coast, culminating in the seizure of the city of Mokha and strategic surrounding areas near the Bab al-Mandab Strait by the “Ansar Allah” (the Houthis). This represents a highly dangerous escalation whose consequences extend far beyond immediate military balances, threatening Yemen’s national security and sovereignty, the stability of the Red Sea, and the safety of international navigation and global trade.
The Movement considers the imposition of a new military reality through violence and force of arms a severe escalation. Such actions risk broadening the scope of the war, undermining prospects for a viable political settlement, and exposing Yemen and the wider region to heightened foreign intervention and volatility.
The NPM further expresses its profound concern over the escalating humanitarian toll, including the immediate perils facing civilian populations, surging displacement, and the continued recruitment and deployment of children in combat. Urgent international and local action is required to protect civilians and ensure strict adherence to international humanitarian law.
Guided by its national and humanitarian duties, the National Peace Movement hereby:
Condemns the Military Escalation: Denounces the military offensive initiated by the Houthis to enforce a new status quo by force of arms. The NPM affirms that altering the balance of power and seizing strategic territories by force can never serve as a foundation for a just or sustainable peace.
Warns Against the Militarisation of Bab al-Mandab: Highlights the severe risks of turning international shipping lanes into militarised zones. Such threats invite wider regional and international involvement, further fuel the conflict, and jeopardize peace prospects in Yemen.
Demands an Immediate End to Child Recruitment: Calls upon the Houthis to immediately cease the recruitment and deployment of children in armed conflict, release all child soldiers, and safely reunite them with their families. The NPM stresses the imperative to safeguard civilians and internally displaced persons, uphold international humanitarian law, and facilitate unhindered humanitarian access across all Yemeni territories.
Urges Immediate International and UN Action: Calls upon the United Nations, the UN Security Council, and the UN Special Envoy to urgently address the political and security ramifications of the developments in Mokha and Bab al-Mandab. The UN must act to prevent the expansion of the conflict and stop critical maritime passages from becoming arenas of international confrontation, while actively supporting Yemeni state institutions to defend the nation’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and maritime domain.
Calls for Scaled-Up Humanitarian Relief: Urges international and local humanitarian organizations to rapidly expand their emergency response for displaced persons and affected communities in conflict zones. Priority must be given to providing emergency shelter, food, healthcare, and specialized protection for women, children, and vulnerable groups.
Reaffirms That Peace Requires Political Settlement: Reasserts that lasting peace in Yemen will not be achieved through force of arms or by entangling the nation in broader regional conflicts. True peace can only be realized by restoring state institutions, fostering an inclusive national partnership, and reaching a comprehensive political settlement that preserves Yemen’s unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity while guaranteeing the rights of all citizens.
30 July 2026: The National Peace Movement (NPM) recently an expanded meeting for its branch in Egypt, with the participation of several members of the Board of Trustees, Executive Council, heads of specialized tracks, and movement leadership. In his opening remarks at the meeting hosted by the Yemeni Cultural Center in Cairo, Dr Ahmed Al-Subari, head of the Egypt Branch, welcomed attendees and emphasized the importance of regular meetings in strengthening institutional communication, exchanging visions, and translating ideas into tangible action programs that enhance the movement’s presence as a national framework seeking to support peace and rebuild the state.
The meeting featured extensive discussions covering eight main pillars dedicated to reviewing institutional performance and evaluating the movement’s role amid current political developments. Participants examined the unfolding situation and the surrounding ambiguity between prospects of military confrontation and opportunities to resume the political process, reaffirming that the Movement, as a national framework for peace, renews its steadfast commitment to peace as the country’s sole strategic choice. They emphasized that any official stance issued will reflect a deliberate, collective vision. The meeting also approved initiating a participatory update of the movement’s political vision document across various tracks to accommodate rapid developments and leverage lessons from previous national dialogue experiences and initiatives.
Regarding intellectual output and political discourse, the meeting stressed the necessity of shifting from describing problems to offering practical solutions by commissioning concise policy briefs to address urgent national issues, alongside continuing to release in-depth strategic studies. Attendees also reviewed the national digital platform project for membership management and institutional communication, while approving the development of media messaging and diversifying its tools—including briefings, position papers, statements, and seminars—to ensure active engagement with emerging developments.
The meeting concluded with the adoption of a monthly action plan to activate branch activities, primarily for the Egypt branch, and the organization of an upcoming scientific symposium on the determinants of leading the state out of fragility, presented by Prof. Ali Al-Asad. Emphasis was placed on maintaining open communication with various political blocs and national and international initiatives, as well as fostering collective action among all components to reach a safe and stable Yemen.
25 July 2026: The leadership of the National Peace Movement (NPM) recently held its fifth regular meeting via videoconference, with the participation of members of the Board of Trustees and the Executive Council, to discuss current political and military developments in Yemen and evaluate the Movement’s institutional performance.
The meeting was opened by Dr. Hamdan Dammag, General Coordinator of the Board of Trustees, who welcomed the attendees and stressed that the meeting carries special significance given the critical stage and rapid developments in Yemen and the region. He noted that these circumstances require enhancing coordination and joint action across the Movement’s various components, while commending the organizational and foundational efforts made by NPM leadership over the past period.
In extensive discussions, participants addressed the current political and military landscape, expressing concern over the recent escalation by the Ansar Allah (Houthi) group. They reaffirmed NPM’s steadfast commitment to a just peace, working to provide professional political assessments and analyses that support peaceful solutions and serve the national interest, including reviving the project to restore the state and achieving the interests of the Yemeni people.
The meeting also reviewed and evaluated the performance of the specialized tracks and teams over the past year. Attendees emphasized the importance of transitioning from the planning and research phase to practical, on-the-ground implementation, leveraging the specialized expertise of Movement members to deliver clear solutions and policy papers.
The meeting concluded with the approval of a number of recommendations and decisions aimed at enhancing institutional performance. Chief among these was the adoption of a unified operational plan for the Movement for the upcoming period, the regular issuance of media bulletins and position papers, the organization of specialized seminars and workshops addressing pressing national issues, and the expansion of outreach and partnerships with official and international entities to support peacebuilding, state-building, and service delivery to citizens.
The meeting was attended by a number of members of the Executive Council and Board of Trustees, including: Dr. Ahmed Al-Sabbari, Afrah Nasser, Balqees Al-Abdali, Dr. Jamal Nassar, Hooria Mashhour, Taher Qassim, Dr. Ali Al-Asad, Dr. Abdulsalam Al-Dhalaei, Dr. Fares Al-Bail, Liza Al-Badawi, Mohammed Salem Bin Hamdeen, Dr. Mahmood Alazani, Mukhtar Shahtal, Mustafa Nasr, Naji Ashal, Dr. Nadia Al-Sakkaf, Hani Alaswadi, Huda Alsarari, and Dr. Hamdan Dammag.
July 6, 2026: The Studies and Research Team at the National Peace Movement (NPM) organized a high-level academic symposium titled “Decentralization and Resource Allocation in the Republic of Yemen: Challenges, Opportunities, and Prospects for Reform.” The event featured the participation of the Minister of Local Administration, Eng. Badr Basalma, along with a distinguished group of academics, former officials, and researchers specialized in local governance, development, and peacebuilding in Yemen. The discussion was moderated by Dr. Ali Ali Alassad, the rapporteur of the Executive Council at the NPM.
Opening the symposium, Dr. Ali Ali Alassad emphasized that decentralization is no longer just a minor administrative matter, but has instead become a foundational pillar for building a more efficient and equitable state. He noted that academic discussion rooted in practical expertise provides an essential gateway for drafting national policies capable of addressing the challenges facing the country during its recovery and institutional rebuilding phase.
For her part, the former Undersecretary of the Ministry of Local Administration and former Ambassador, Khadija Radman, reviewed the historical trajectory and legislative shifts of decentralization in Yemen from 1990 to the present day. She explained that various structural imbalances have hindered the practical implementation of the project—most notably financial centralization and weak local authorities—concluding that the real challenge has never been a lack of texts and legislation, but rather the limited institutional will and capacity to enforce them on the ground.
In a pivotal address focusing on resource allocation gaps and developmental justice, Minister of Local Administration Eng. Badr Basalma stressed that reforming the local governance system requires reactivating the Local Authority Law and strengthening financial and administrative decentralization. He outlined the government’s vision for gradual reform, which centers on rebuilding and rehabilitating local governance institutions to play an effective role in service delivery and development management, while striking a delicate balance between maintaining the state’s unified financial system and granting local authorities the necessary powers and resources to fulfill their responsibilities.
In the same context, decentralization expert Amin Al-Maqtari presented a practical vision that bypasses legislative delays. He proposed a package of executive and administrative remedies that can be implemented immediately to enhance the performance of local authorities and elevate accountability and transparency in financial resource management, without the need to wait for comprehensive and immediate legislative amendments.
The symposium concluded with interactive discussions in which participants affirmed that addressing imbalances in the distribution of power and wealth, alongside reducing disparities between governorates, represents the primary entry point for supporting stability efforts. At the same time, the research team at the National Peace Movement (NPM) announced its intention to issue a comprehensive analytical paper and recommendations summarizing the symposium’s discussions, to be published across the NPM’s platforms to support reform efforts and public policy-making in Yemen.
31 May 2026: The Political and State-Building Track of the National Peace Movement organized an open intellectual seminar titled “The Paths and Developments of the Democratic Transition Process in Yemen.” The seminar was presented by Dr. Shadi Khasrouf, Vice Chair of the Rights Track in the movement, and was attended by a select group of academics, intellectuals, and politicians from both within and outside the movement.
The seminar, moderated by Afra Alhabouri, Vice Chair of the movement’s UK branch, provided an analytical review of the critical milestones in the Yemeni experience since the early 1990s, tracing the landscape’s transition from pluralism, consensus, and comprehensive dialogue to a state of division and war.
Dr. Khasrouf attributed the setback of the democratic path to five key factors: the absence of safeguarding institutions, the dominance of personal and partisan interests, the politicization of military and security institutions, deep-seated societal divisions, and widespread corruption. He explained that the unfair exploitation of state resources during elections turned political competition into a struggle between “the state and parties” rather than a fair race among equal actors, emphasizing that democracy is a comprehensive system of rights and the rule of law, not just a ballot box.
The seminar outlined a roadmap for a return to a peaceful path, specifying its core conditions as: building upon the draft outcomes of the National Dialogue, establishing neutral state institutions that insulate national assets from individual or partisan interests, enhancing transparency to eradicate corruption, and managing disputes within peaceful, institutional frameworks.
In conclusion, the seminar featured an interactive discussion among participants regarding the future of the democratic transition in Yemen and the prospects for restoring the political path. Attendees stressed the vital importance of sustaining serious intellectual dialogues as an essential driver for producing national visions that contribute to building peace, stability, and the envisioned state.
April 19, 2026 – Amid accelerating political developments linked to the Southern issue, a seminar titled “The Role of Southern Women in the Legal and Political Framework and Peacebuilding: Towards Enhancing Their Effective Participation” was held. The event was organized by the Women’s Peace Track within the National Peace Movement, with the participation of a distinguished group of female leaders and individuals engaged in political and human rights affairs.
The seminar opened with remarks by Houria Mashhour, former Yemeni Minister of Human Rights and a member of the Movement’s Board of Trustees. She emphasized that the current moment necessitates revisiting the position of Southern women in the political process—not as a complementary actor, but as a central force in shaping peace trajectories.
Discussions throughout the seminar clearly exposed a persistent gap between the legal frameworks governing women’s participation and the reality of their actual presence. In her intervention, Dr. Asmahan Mardouf bin Breik, Associate Professor at the Faculty of Law at the University of Aden, reviewed both the legal and constitutional frameworks. She argued that the problem lies less in the texts themselves and more in their limited implementation, as well as the absence of safeguards capable of translating them into meaningful political practice.
In the same vein, Sara Abdullah Al-Yafe’i, Secretary-General of the Free Southern Movement Assembly, addressed the position of Southern women within the political landscape, highlighting imbalances in representation and the challenges that continue to constrain women’s presence within political entities.
From a human rights-based perspective, Liza Al-Badawi, Head of the Women’s Peace Track in the Movement, focused in her presentation—titled “From Rights to Influence: Tools for Women’s Empowerment in Peacebuilding”—on the core challenge of moving beyond formal recognition of rights toward real empowerment within decision-making circles, ensuring participation that is substantive rather than symbolic.
Participants also discussed Southern women’s vision for intra-Southern dialogue, stressing that any forthcoming dialogue process will lack credibility unless it guarantees fair and effective representation of women, as a fundamental condition for achieving comprehensive and sustainable peace.
The seminar, moderated by Liza Al-Badawi, concluded with a clear message: enhancing the role of Southern women is no longer an optional add-on, but a political necessity dictated by the current phase. This requires intensified efforts to ensure their active participation across all political and peacebuilding processes.
The event witnessed notable engagement from attendees, reflecting a growing recognition that women’s empowerment is no longer merely a rights-based demand, but a critical entry point for reshaping political balances in the South.
Wednesday, 8 April 2026: The Economic Track of the National Peace Movement (NPM) organised a high-level virtual seminar titled “The Repercussions of the Ongoing War in the Middle East and Its Political and Economic Implications for the Region and Yemen,” amid escalating regional and international tensions.
The seminar hosted prominent Egyptian parliamentarian and media figure Mostafa Bakry, who offered an analytical reading of the rapidly evolving regional landscape. At the outset of his remarks, Bakry said the region is passing through a critical historical moment that goes beyond a mere redistribution of influence to a redefinition of the very concept of power.
Moderated by Rafat Al-Akhali, economist and member of NPMs Board of Trustees, the seminar focused on the implications of the escalation for international trade, energy security, and the stability of maritime corridors. Bakry noted that the region is undergoing profound shifts under the current tensions, which could negatively affect fragile economies, particularly Yemen’s, through rising transport and insurance costs and disruptions to supply chains. At the same time, he pointed to potential opportunities that may emerge from the reshaping of global trade routes, stressing that economic considerations will play a decisive role in shaping alliances in the coming phase.
Bakry also warned of the consequences of any escalation affecting maritime routes, noting that Egypt lost around $12 billion over the course of a year and a half during the recent Red Sea crisis. He said Cairo therefore views any closure of the Bab al-Mandab Strait as a result of the current war as a development with serious consequences, not only for Egypt’s domestic situation, but also for the further militarisation of the Red Sea.
In his analysis of the international dimensions of the crisis, Bakry linked the current conflict to what he described as a US effort to contain China’s anticipated economic rise by 2030. He argued that control over oil sources and shipping lanes is aimed primarily at influencing the political and economic decisions of countries on which China depends, particularly after Iran moved towards adopting the Chinese currency in oil transactions.
The seminar also brought together a number of researchers and interested participants, who contributed interventions on the impact of regional escalation on the prices of essential commodities, the security of maritime navigation, and the implications for living conditions in Yemen and across the region. Dr Fawziya Nasher, a member of the NPM’s economic Track, stressed the importance of addressing ongoing regional transformations through an integrated economic and political lens. The seminar forms part of the NPM’s efforts to strengthen dialogue on strategic issues and create space for responsible discussion of economic and political challenges in ways that support stability and help build sustainable peace.
15 February 2026: The Political Affairs and State-Building Track of the National Peace Movement organised a political seminar titled “Southern–Southern Dialogue: Prospects and Challenges” as part of a series of seminars and discussion workshops held by the Movement for its members from various constituencies, within the framework of efforts to promote political dialogue and state-building.
The seminar addressed three main themes. Dr. Fouad Al-Badai, Assistant Professor of Political Science at Taiz University and Deputy Head of the Movement’s branch in Egypt, outlined the key challenges and opportunities facing the Southern–Southern dialogue process in light of current political developments. He noted that the dialogue represents an opportunity to improve public service delivery, enhance government performance, and strengthen security and stability.
Dr. Noha Al-Abd, Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Economics and Political Science at the University of Aden, delivered an intervention on mechanisms for overcoming political differences, building trust, and supporting rapprochement among Southern components in ways that enhance prospects for consensus. She emphasised the importance of ensuring women’s and youth participation to achieve comprehensive and sustainable agreements.
In the third session, Mr. Waddah Al-Yemen Khaled Hariri, Yemeni writer and politician and member of the Consultative Meeting for Peace, presented several potential scenarios for Southern consensus, stressing the importance of prioritising the public interest and effectively utilising regional support in any scenario discussed at the dialogue table. He also highlighted the role the National Peace Movement can play, through its members and activities, in supporting the Southern–Southern dialogue to help meet citizens’ aspirations for solutions that improve the overall situation in the country.
The seminar was moderated by Ms. Basma Ibrahim Bamadhaf, a member of the Political Affairs and State-Building Track within the Movement. The event featured an interactive discussion among participants from the Movement’s membership, focusing on the importance of sustaining dialogue and further developing its mechanisms in a way that supports national stability.
This seminar comes as part of the National Peace Movement’s commitment to supporting internal dialogue processes and enhancing opportunities for political consensus, thereby contributing to peace and stability across Yemen.
