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British foreign secretary warns of peace deals collapse between Yemeni factions
Aden, March 4 (IANS) British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt on Sunday visited Yemen’s port city of Aden, warning that peace deals signed between the two warring rivals in Yemen may face collapse.
Hunt arrived at Aden’s international airport as the first Western foreign minister who has travelled to war-torn Yemen since the start of the conflict between the Shiite Houthi rebels and Yemen’s government in 2015, Xinhua reported.
To show Britain’s support for the Yemeni government and the UN efforts to secure peace, Hunt met Yemeni Deputy Prime Minister Ahmed Saeed Khanbashi and Foreign Minister Khaled Yamani at the presidential compound.
He warned that previous peace deals reached between the Yemeni warring sides under the auspices of the UN might face collapse.
“We are now in last-chance saloon for the Stockholm peace process,” he said through a short video posted on his official Twitter account.
“The process could be dead within weeks if we do not see both sides sticking to their commitments in Stockholm,” he added.
“People in Yemen are on the brink of starvation and none of the parties really want a return to hostilities, so now is the time to take a deep breath, put aside the anger and mistrust after four years of terrible fighting and take the risks that are always necessary at the start of any peace process,” Hunt noted.
Hunt inspected Aden’s strategic seaport and met humanitarian aid workers there after leaving presidential compound.
Hours after the departure of Hunt, intense clashes broke out between Yemen’s government forces and the Houthi rebels in the eastern neighbourhoods of Hodeidah.
The Yemeni warring parties reached the peace deal in Stockholm last December. Despite sporadic attacks, they have largely held the cease-fire in Hodeidah since it went into force on December 18, 2018.
However, both sides have since delayed the implementation of withdrawing forces for several times and continued to blame each other for undermining the peace process.
According to the deal, the mutual withdrawal should be carried out in two phases starting from the ports of Ras Isa, Saleef and Hodeidah, which are all under the Houthi control, and concluding with full withdrawal from inside and around the city.
Saudi Arabia is leading an Arab military coalition that intervened in Yemen in March 2015 to support the government of President Abdu-Rabbu Mansour Hadi after Houthi rebels forced him into exile and seized much of the country’s north, including the capital Sanaa and Hodeidah.
–IANS
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.
Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.
During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.
On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”
Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.
Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.
Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”
On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”
The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.