National Dialogue Outcomes Document, An official translation carried out by Minister of State for Implementing the National Dialogue Outcomes, Mr.Yaser Abdullah Al-roaini. In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate ,And hold fast, all together, unto the bond with God ”.and do not draw apart from one another True are the words of Allah the Almighty True are the words of Allah the Almighty Preface I am immensely proud to have the honor of writing this preface to the most significant document in our modern history: The final document of the All-inclusive National Dialogue Conference, which was held during the period from March 18, 2013 .- January 25, 2014 This conference is one of a kind in the history of Yemen - from the perspective of its background, mainly: the popular peaceful youth revolution, or from the perspective of the mechanism used to prepare and organize it, or the mechanism used for the composition and representation, or the way it was managed and how the working groups were set-up, or the type of issues it tackled, discussed and developed solutions for, or the unique vision it produced - one which had marked the road of no return to tyranny or individual, tribal, or family rule, and laid a real foundation stone for building State’s institutions: .a State of rule of law, justice and equality, and responsible freedoms Continued NDC Document This document reflects the epitome of the great Yemeni people’s long-standing hopes and aspirations - ever since the dawn of the struggle for freedom and a life of dignity and salvation from tyranny and colonialism. Fifty-two years have passed since the advent of the Yemeni revolution of September 26, 1962 and October 14, 1963, and .our people have been suffering from a vicious cycle of endless conflicts However, our people have not given up and have continued to create unique ways to continue the struggle that reflects their ingenuity and deep-rooted civility, with the aim of realizing the objectives set out by the pioneers of this struggle in their successive revolutions. These same objectives are being embodied today in an unprecedented manner in the folds of this document, which contains the quintessence of the hopes and aspirations that would transform the country to horizons of modernization, and the spirit of the time, while adhering to Islamic values, quaint ethos - without which It would lose its soul and its very existence. Great people are those who engineer their .rise to glory without abandoning their heritage, legacy, character, or values This document will not see the light and will not be embodied in our lives - the people of Yemen - unless we continued serious and diligent work to implement it and apply the visions it charts for us - men, women, old, and young, in one spirit. Small differences shall not divide us, nor would narrow factionalism, or the remnants and diseases of the past. Let’s be inspired by the lessons, and draw on our struggle, and constantly evoke the interests of our children and grandchildren, in this beloved homeland: one that would provide them with the shade of security, justice, freedom, equality, and a life of dignity. It’s with this spirit, and only this, that we can build the new Yemen: a Yemen for which thousands of young people have made sacrificed to bring it to life from a mere dream, that was within all of us, but they made it possible... and it became possible with the completion of this vision that exists in the folds of this historic and eternal document. We will now embark to work on implementing this vision without .any hesitation or procrastination For everyone who has contributed in the accomplishment of this document - members of the National Dialogue Conference - we say we owe you our gratitude and full respect. You have truly lived up to the expectation of your people and didn’t let them down... absolutely not. You have delivered on the trust given to you; for this, we send .you greetings of love, appreciation, and full respect We bid Allah to facilitate our efforts for the betterment of the lives of our people and .the homeland, and for deliverance May Allah be our guide to do good for our people and homeland; and may He set us .and lead us on the right path Abdu-Rabu Mansour Hadi .Chairman, the All-Inclusive National Dialogue Conference 8 NDC Document Contents : Chapter I: Introduction..............................................................................13 Chapter II: Outcome of the NDC..................................................................5 Section I: Reports of the Working Groups..................................................5 The Southern Issue......................................................................................5 The Sa’adah Issue.......................................................................................21 Issues of National Dimension, National Reconciliation,and Transitional Justice.........................................................................................................33 Good Governance Working Group............................................................77 Foundations for Building the Army and Security and Roles There of..103 Independent Institutions........................................................................136 Rights and Freedoms...............................................................................165 All-Inclusive, Integrated, and SustainableDevelopment.......................198 Section II: The NDC’s Press Communiques.............................................267 Section III: Criteria for the Constitution’s Drafting Commission...........274 Section IV: Guarantees for the Outcomes Of the NDC............................276 Chapter III: Final Communique........................................................281 Chapter IV: Addendums....................................................................294 9 CHAPTER I: Introduction NDC Document With the blessing of Allah, the evocation of the Yemeni wisdom, our deep faith on the inevitability of change, and the exemplification of the will of the people for a decent life, the All-Inclusive National Dialogue Conference (NDC) has reached its final destination: a consensus on the outcomes which will place our Yemeni homeland in the gateway to a new era of civilization; the paths for which, will be governed by a new social contract that has been formulated by the minds of Yemenis. And for the first time in our contemporary history, these minds represent all political and social constituencies in Yemen, who lined up in earnest around the dialogue table armed with scientific and transparent mechanisms. Reflecting a high level of national responsibility and sensing the paramount importance of this critical historic juncture - and the need for the Yemen ship to set sail and steer away from conflict- the political and social constituencies I: Introduction CHAPTER converged in an All-Inclusive National Dialogue Conference. This was a moment of salvation from failure and an all-out collapse that have had their claws penetrate deep into the liver of the nation. The political and social constituencies had sensed that this moment in history manifests a profound impact on what comes next - since the present usually draws the features of a tomorrow to come for Yemen. This new social contract is founded on the rules necessary for charting a new course for a new Yemen. It provided an opportunity for an in-depth, transparent and responsible review of all the weaknesses and the dysfunctionality of State’s structures, and the negative conduct that have produced political, social and economic problems, and placed Yemen in the list of failed states on the verge of collapse. That political failure in the management of the State has led to a plethora of crises. The most critical was one which threatened the foundations of the country’s unity. A feeling of despair grew in the South from the failure to address the situation produced by the failure in Yemen at large - and in the South in particular. Voices cried out in the South, within the Southern Peaceful Movement in 2007, but found no ears to address the entitlements based on a keen national spirit. The same failure also produced six wars in the Governorate of Sa’adah and neighboring governorates causing devastating damages at all levels. It affected the stability and security of the country and witness alignments never known before in the history of Yemen. Moreover, the impact of the many failures cast shadow on the entire country, North and South, through the collapse of services, increasing rates of unemployment and tyranny of the forces close to the center of decision-making. All of the preceding was critical and inevitable changes that have led to demands for change in 2011. These are the demands that all Yemenis agreed on as a desired solution to deliver the country out of an impasse that could 13 NDC Document have destroyed any hope of advancement for the country or maintenance of its unity, territorial integrity and dignity of its people. For history and for the sake of future generations, the bearers of the banner of change had fueled the revolution sacrificing the cream of the crop of Yemen’s youth - both males and females. They came out to the squares full of hope in reshaping the nation to become one where they can breathe freely with dignity, justice, and equality - and be proud of it as beacon of civilization and prosperity. When the political situation in 2011 was on the verge of a civil war, its impact will not have