War-ravaged Yemen gets a truce and dumps a tired president
But the lull may not last and the new government holds little sway
![](https://www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=1424,quality=80,format=auto/sites/default/files/images/print-edition/20220416_MAP001_0.jpg)
SOON AFTER iftar, the fast-breaking meal during Ramadan, a group of influential Yemenis was summoned to the Saudi royal court. They were in Riyadh on April 6th for peace talks to help end Yemen’s long war. But there was little to discuss: the Houthis, a rugged Shia group from northern Yemen who have conquered much of the country (see map), refused to attend, saying they would talk only in a neutral country. Instead the peace conference became a venue for palace intrigue. The balance of power continues to shift against the Saudis and their Yemeni allies. But a lasting peace remains elusive.
This article appeared in the Middle East & Africa section of the print edition under the headline “Hope against hope for a lasting peace”
Middle East & Africa April 16th 2022
More from Middle East & Africa
![](https://www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=1424,quality=80,format=auto/content-assets/images/20240914_MAP003.jpg)
How trading in war-torn Sudan survives—just
Profiteering from conflict is only part of the story
![](https://www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=1424,quality=80,format=auto/content-assets/images/20240914_MAP506.jpg)
Turkey is trying to deport Syrian refugees back to a war zone
Many Turks fear Syrian refugees will change the character of their country
![](https://www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=1424,quality=80,format=auto/content-assets/images/20240914_MAP002.jpg)
Is Syria’s drug-dealing dictator coming in from the cold?
Bashar al-Assad is less of a pariah, but cannot hold the country together
A narrow corridor in Gaza has become an obstacle to a ceasefire
Binyamin Netanyahu says the presence of Israeli troops is crucial. His generals disagree
If Nigeria cannot end fuel shortages, disaster beckons
A new refinery creates a chance to scrap ruinous petrol subsidies
The fall of Libya’s central banker triggers a new struggle
It could help the warlord who controls the country’s east