The Nobel Peace Prize-winning human rights activist, Tawakkol Kerman, has emphasized that her vision for "post-war Yemen" is based on how Yemen could emerge from the war a united and independent country that represents the legitimacy of the Republic of Yemen and its international personality.

Her remarks came in a speech she delivered at an Istanbul-based global conference on Yemen under the title "Post-war Yemen... A forward-looking Vision", organized by Tawakkol Karman Foundation with the participation of many political and academic figures.

Mrs. Karman added that the militia de facto authorities in Sana'a and Aden, along with Saudi-UAE guardianship in all its forms and titles over Yemen, are a form of the war’s continuation, which keeps the country fragmented and vulnerable to all forms of external interference. 

She stressed that any peace agreement or efforts to put an end to the war in Yemen don’t take into account the end of the militia authorities, they would only contribute to extending them.

Pointing out that the current legitimate government has turned into a tool that legitimizes the foreign occupation of the country, she explained that the legitimacy is neither a blank check nor persons dependent on the occupier and external guardianship.

“If this state of political dependence continues, the onus will be on local field forces, governors, military leaders and the popular resistance to choose an  field command with the task of liberating Yemen from militias and from foreign guardianship and occupation and preserving the country's interests, sovereignty, and independence,” she added. 

The Nobel laureate confirmed that the Yemeni great battle for the restoration of the republic and the liberation of the country from occupation and guardianship will inevitably break out and go to its end.

Mrs. Karman stressed that the partial agreements being cooked right now lead only to prolonging the war and to the absence of the basic Yemeni issue and pushing the country to more tragic stages.

She indicated that achieving sustainable peace in Yemen requires the resumption of the political process, including withdrawing weapons from all militias so that only the Yemeni state has the exclusive right to own and use weapons. 

“Any peace endeavor that does not take this into consideration is nothing but efforts to subjugate Yemenis to the status quo dictated by the Houthi brutal coup and the Saudi-Emirati occupiers alike”, she continued. 

For her part, Deputy head of foreign relations of the Turkish Justice and Construction Party Tuğba IŞIK ERCAN, affirmed Turkey’s support for stability and future of Yemen as a united country.

Mrs. Tuğba IŞIK ERCAN said that peace and stability in Yemen could be achieved through political deliberations and discussions, stressing the AKP party's support for efforts by the UN envoy Martin Griffiths regarding Yemen’s peace negotiations.

She also emphasized that her country encourages all Yemeni parties to follow up on negotiations, and shoulder their responsibilities to reach a unified Yemen.

The continuation of the war in Yemen, as she added, will increase the suffering of citizens throughout the country.

She expressed her hope that Yemen will achieve security, peace and stability as soon as possible, affirming that Turkey will continue to support the Yemeni people in the coming period.

After that, the conference’s discussions panels started. The first discussion panel covered possible scenarios for the end of the war, the form of the State and the system of government in light of the imagined end of the existing conflict. 

The second panel focused on the future of regional and international influence in post-Yemen, while the third one was allocated to post-war priorities (transitional justice as an entry point to ending conflict and reconstruction between political and legal responsibility).