Barely a few weeks after Donald Trump's decision to put Houthi rebels on the US list of terrorist organizations, the Biden administration is backing down.
Already announced, the withdrawal of the Yemeni group from this list will be effective from February 16, said Friday, February 12, the new head of American diplomacy, Antony Blinken.
“We have heard warnings from the United Nations, humanitarian groups and members of the two political parties represented in Congress, among others, that this classification could have had a devastating impact on Yemenis' access to property. basic necessities like food or fuel, ”Antony Blinken said in a statement.
As soon as new President Joe Biden arrived at the White House on January 20, the United States announced an urgent review of this decision, which it had frozen.
And a week ago, the State Department had formally notified the US Congress of its intention to cancel registration on the two blacklists for terrorism.
Humanitarian organizations had indeed warned that they had no other choice but to deal with the Houthis, who de facto rule a large part of Yemen, including the capital Sana'a.
Their designation as terrorists exposed anyone who entered into transactions with the rebels to the risk of being sued by the United States.
>> War in Yemen: a humanitarian drama behind closed doors
"By emphasizing the need to improve the humanitarian situation in Yemen, we hope that the Yemeni camps will emphasize dialogue," continued Antony Blinken.
He confirmed that the main Houthi leaders remained on the blacklist in their personal capacity.
In recent days, the Biden administration has also repeatedly raised the tone against the rebel "attacks" targeting Saudi Arabia in particular, ensuring that the withdrawal from the blacklist did not mean that it intended to close the eyes.
With AFP
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