SANA’A, Nov. 4— A number of Yemen’s political factions and representatives from civil society organizations met in Brussels between Nov. 1 and Nov. 3 to sign the Brussels Declaration for National Reconciliation. The agreement is claimed to serve as a guide to help dictate Yemen’s transition that began Sept. 21, the day Sana’a fell under Houthi control.

The conference was sponsored by the Global Network for Rights and Development (GNRD), in conjunction with the National Center for Human Rights and Democratic Development in Yemen.

The agreement was signed by representatives from the General People’s Congress (GPC), the Islah Party, the Houthis, and the Southern Movement, in addition to representatives from the National Democratic Coalition, the Rashad Party, civil society institutions, human rights organizations, and a number of businessmen.

A joint statement by the representatives was published on Monday night by the state-run Saba News Agency. The statement said that the conference sought to pave the way for the implementation of the National Dialogue Conference (NDC) outcomes and the Peace and National Partnership Agreement, in addition to creating a framework to end all armed conflicts, prepare for a referendum on the constitution, hold parliamentary and presidential elections, and work to improve federal state infrastructure.

It called on the GCC states, the Friends of Yemen, and the international community to support national reconciliation, affirming the importance of preserving the National Solidarity Front to Combat Terrorism and Destruction, a national unity organization made up of prominent political and social figures established in August of this year.

Brussels Declaration for National Reconciliation in Yemen

Upholding the values of reconciliation and tolerance commended by our truthful religion (Islam) and driven by the rational of the best national interest; conscious of the historical responsibility and the critical period our country is going through and in order to ensure a future that will overcome challenges of injustice and conflicts and put the foundation of a federal, democratic and just state, based on national partnership and good governance; reiterating the Declaration of 29 October 2014, issued by all the political components under the guidance of the “Popular Commission for Proximity Among all Political Components”; and responding to the call of the President of the Republic for national reconciliation; and in order to implement the outcome of the national dialogue and the Peace and National Partnership Agreement:

A consultative meeting was held in the capital of Belgium, Brussels, from 1 to 3 November 2014, bringing together representatives/leaders of parties and other political components as well as representatives of the civil society (the list of participants hereunder attached). The meeting was facilitated by Global Network for Rights and Development (GNRD) in cooperation with the Yemeni National Centre for Human Rights and Democratic Development (NOD). The meeting aimed at achieving a Yemeni national reconciliation, preparing the ground for the implementation of the recommendations of the National Conference and the Peace and Partnership Agreement to put an end to armed confrontations, to prepare for a referendum on a new constitution, to organise legislative and presidential elections and to establish the institutions of a federal state.

The participants agreed on the following:

1. To take immediate action to stop the armed confrontations and to reject and condemn all forms of violence in pursuit of any political objective and to use reason and continuous dialogue for the achievement of a comprehensive national reconciliation in Yemen.
2. To establish a national forum for an all-embracing national reconciliation under the auspices of the President of the Republic.
3. To ensure an all inclusive participation for an effective reconciliation based on tolerance, fairness, just compensation and the rehabilitation of the state institutions. To take the appropriate measures to prevent any recurrence of the mistakes of the past. To look forward to a bright future and to leave the past behind, which could only serve as learnt lessons.
4. To develop and appropriate a national information policy extending to all state and partisan  media to disseminate the culture of reconciliation, tolerance, human rights, cohabitation, to consolidate the values of fraternity  and to build confidence among the people with all its spectra.
5. To call upon brothers, particularly member states of the GCC, and friends of Yemen and the international community to support efforts for the national reconciliation.
6. To stress the importance of uniting nationally to combat terrorism and all acts of destruction and violence and to condemn all related crimes.
7. Considering that national reconciliation needs the efforts and the full participation of all Yemeni people, the participants invite all political components that could not attend to the signature of the present declaration to do so.

Brussels, Belgium, 3 November 2014

Names and signatures of the participants:

General People Congers GPC representatives

1. Dr.ALQIRBI Abobaker                       Former foreign minister, Head of foreign relations of GPC- Member of NDC
2. DOWAID Yahia                                    Member of  General Committee of GPC, Member of National Dialogue NDC

Islah Party (Islamic) Representatives:

1. AL-AKWA  Abdullah          Deputy prime minister, Minister of electricity, Assistant Secretary General of Islah
2. Al-SHAMI Zaid                     Parliamentarian and head of Islah conglomerate at Yemeni parliament.
3. ALAW Mohammed           Former parliamentarian – Lower

Ansar Allah representatives ( Shiite Houthies):

1. AL-BUKHAITI Ali                 Member of National Dialogue- Member of political council of Ansar Allah

Al-Rashad party (Islamic Salafi):

1. AL-HUMAIKANI Abdulwahab       Secretary General – Member of NDC

Al-Haq party representative:

1. ZAID Hassan         President

Yemeni Southern Movement representatives:

1. ABDULLAH Ahmed                            Member of National Dialogue- Spokesman of the movement

Social Arab Baath Party- Yemen :

1. Dr. Bilqis ALHADRANI                       Member of Central Committee                 - Member of NDC

Social Party representative:

1. AL-AKHALI  Mutlaq            Lower and member of National Dialogue NDC ( Didn’t sign)

Yemeni NGOs, Youth, Women , independents representatives and experts:

1. AL-ESSI Ahmed Saleh                     Chairman of National Center for Human Rights and Democratic Development( NOD)
2. AL-AWADHI Jamal                             Secretary General of NOD
3. Ms.MOHAMMED Maha                  Member of National Dialogue – Independent women representative   
4.   Al-SALAMI Basel                               Member of National Dialogue – Youth representative
5. Ebrahim Shoga Al-Din                       Member of National Dialogue NDC
6. AL-DARWISH Abdulalem                 Human Right activist