Tim Lenderking, the US special envoy for Yemen, says the US is pushing for “regional solutions for a regional problem”.

In an interview with The National in Manama, he said there was an opportunity to improve the situation in Yemen as “there is a lot of unity among the international community and attention, partly because of the Biden’s administration’s emphasis on Yemen”.

He said the “attention that the international institutions are starting to place on the economy, an area of severe need that has been under-appreciated in this conflict, the fact that donors are still willing to come forward and pay into UN and other coffers, should show the Yemeni people that they are not forgotten.

“I can assure you that the US is going to stay in it until we see Yemen turn the corner away from conflict and into a peaceful future,” he said.

He stressed that it is for Yemenis to decide that future.

Mr Lenderking, who visited Yemen last month and is often in the region, stressed the importance of speaking with Yemenis directly.

“In my conversations with Yemenis inside the country and outside, it is apparent they are thirsty for a peaceful resolution,” he said.

He spoke of the importance of having the government working inside Yemen.

However, he added that “the government of Yemen needs more financial and economic help and we will mobilise to help them".

Despite Mr Lenderking’s commitment, the Houthis have shown intransigence.

One of the first decisions the Biden administration made related to Yemen was to revoke the terror designation that the Trump administration had imposed on the Houthis.

On February 12, Antony Blinken, US Secretary of State, announced the administration would remove the designation of the Houthis as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation and as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist group.

“The revocations are intended to ensure that relevant US policies do not impede assistance to those already suffering what has been called the world’s worst humanitarian crisis,” he said.

“By focusing on alleviating the humanitarian situation in Yemen, we hope the Yemeni parties can also focus on engaging in dialogue."

The humanitarian situation in Yemen remains precarious, however, and the Houthis have not engaged in dialogue.

Mr Lenderking defended the decision saying it was “based on primarily humanitarian factors. We thought there would be impediments for humanitarian work in Yemen and there was an adverse reactions from commercial shippers almost immediately and this was not something we could afford to take.

“Our decision was not out of recognition that the Houthis were a benevolent force. We were still very concerned, and remain very concerned, about their behaviour."

Asked if the revocation of the designation brought about the desired results, Mr Lenderking said: “It was something we just felt we just had to do and we had hoped it would send a signal to the Houthis that we are approaching the conflict in a different way."

Mr Lenderking said it was a “positive gesture. They have not responded in a way that I would have liked to see”.

The US continues to sanction top Houthi leaders and last Friday announced new sanctions on Saleh Mesfer Al Shaer, commander of the Houthi-controlled military logistics organisation that smuggles weapons, and the “Specialised Criminal Court” that seizes assets of their opponents.