Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shukri announced that the Arab League is close to forming a joint Arab military force, Arab newspaper Asharq al-Awsat reported Saturday.
“Technical teams are already working to develop a vision to establish a joint Arab force, and this will be ready within the next four months,” Shukri said during a state visit to Eritrea.
“There can be no doubt that the situation in Yemen requires serious effort in order to find a solution to the deteriorating humanitarian situation and the suffering of the Yemeni people. We need to find a way to return legitimacy and restore stability to Yemen.” the minister said. Conflict in Yemen, which involves many Arab states, is helping push the initiative forward. Greater coordination of forces would greatly improve the effectiveness of military operations in Yemen while reducing their cost – both financial and human.
“Egypt is continuing its participation in the alliance and is doing everything in its power to stop the escalation,” Shukri said.
“We are in contact with our partners to provide assistance and help reach a political framework conducive to securing a ceasefire, returning Yemen’s legitimate government to power and ensuring Yemeni security and stability,” he added.
Arab leaders said during an Arab League summit in Egypt this past March that they wanted to create a joint military force to help ensure security within the region.
The announcement came after a Saudi-led intervention in Yemen to battle Iranian-backed Houthi militias. A joint Arab force would help clarify who is on which side of the conflict and could have sever ramifications for Iran. A joint Arab force, led by Egypts powerful military, would render Iran’s formidable forces much less potent.
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