Publications

Analysis October 28, 2025 05:10 MIN July-September 2025 Calls for Recognizing Somaliland and the Implications for Yemen By Ahmed Al-Ahssab There have been growing signals of possible international recognition of the Republic of Somaliland. Former British Defense Secretary Gavin Williamson alluded to the possibility of US President Donald Trump recognizing Somaliland’s independence in November 2024. His remarks coincided with favorable positions expressed by US officials who had worked with Trump, such as Peter Pham and Tibor Nagy, as well as moves by American lawmakers. The president of Somaliland has also predicted that his country will soon secure its first formal recognition of independence, possibly within the coming year. A former British colony, Somaliland united with what was known as Italian Somaliland to form the Somali Republic in 1960. Following the collapse of the central government in 1991, Somaliland declared its… Continue reading Yemen Review section October 28, 2025 08:16 MIN July-September 2025 Soil That Hinders Growth: Youth Engagement in Political Parties in Taiz By Essa Al-Qadasy Young people make up the largest demographic group in the Arab world, and were the driving force behind the 2011 mobilization demanding systemic reform and the rebuilding of state institutions. This was particularly true in Yemen. Yet, despite their significant influence that year, decision-making remained in the hands of the elites. Young people were rapidly and systematically excluded, even from advisory roles, leaving them increasingly disillusioned about the country’s future. Ninety-eight percent reported that they were not consulted on the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) initiative — a defining accord at the time — fueling deep frustration and resentment among the very generation that sparked change, the effects of which still reverberate today. Against this backdrop, examining youths’ political participation in… Continue reading Yemen Review section October 28, 2025 18:49 MIN July-September 2025 The Economy — The Yemen Review, July-September 2025 By Wadhah Al-Awlaqi In its Yemen Food Security Update, the World Food Programme (WFP) indicated that the country’s food security situation continues to deteriorate, with 62 percent of surveyed households not having adequate access to food in August, despite an 8 percent month-on-month improvement. Sixty-four percent of affected households were located in areas under the control of the internationally recognized government, and 62 percent in areas under Houthi control. Short-term relative improvement in food consumption was observed in all governorates, particularly in Dhamar, Sa’ada, Sana’a, and Marib. However, severe food deprivation continued to affect 34 percent of households nationwide. Twelve percent of households in government-controlled areas and 18 percent of households in areas under Houthi control had at least one member who went… Continue reading Yemen Review section October 28, 2025 17:10 MIN July-September 2025 Military and Security — The Yemen Review, July-September 2025 By Ned Whalley The late summer saw an intense escalation in hostilities between Israel and the Houthi group (Ansar Allah). Repeated Houthi drone and missile strikes on Israel brought retaliation in the form of air and missile strikes. Israel targeted Houthi-held ports in Hudaydah, along with military installations, power plants, and dual-use infrastructure. Israel also demonstrated that it possessed the requisite intelligence and willingness to target the authorities in Sana’a – Houthi-appointed Prime Minister Ahmed al-Rahawi and eleven other ministers and cabinet officials were killed in an airstrike on August 28, and Houthi military chief of staff Mohammed Abdelkarim al-Ghamari later succumbed to his injuries. The Houthis maintained that their attacks on Israel were in support of Gaza, and they continued uninterrupted as… Continue reading The Yemen Review October 28, 2025 10 Sections The Yemen Review Quarterly: July-September 2025 The Houthi group (Ansar Allah) resumed attacks on Israel on July 6, following a lull during the 12-day Israel-Iran war. Drones and missiles repeatedly targeted Ben Gurion Airport and the southern port city of Eilat, along with energy and military infrastructure across central and southern Israel. On August 22, the group used cluster munitions in a missile warhead for the first time. The Houthis also restarted attacks on Red Sea shipping, firing on and sinking two Greek-owned commercial vessels, the MV Magic Seas and Eternity C, on July 6 and 7. Four people were killed, and ten are now hostages; one is missing and presumed dead. On September 29, the Houthis hit the Dutch ship Minervagracht with a cruise missile,… Continue reading Analysis October 19, 2025 10:10 MIN What Does the Gaza Ceasefire Mean for Yemen? By Abdulghani Al-Iryani, Maysaa Shuja Al-Deen, and Hussam Radman A tenuous ceasefire has gone into effect in Gaza, halting two years of war that have resulted in the deaths of more than 67,000 Palestinians. As part of the first phase of a US-brokered agreement, surviving Israeli hostages taken by Hamas during its deadly October 7 incursion have been released, along with a number of Palestinian prisoners, and Israeli forces have begun a partial withdrawal from the strip. However, the deal remains extremely fragile. Past ceasefires have failed to hold, and there are already disagreements over the return of the dead and humanitarian access. Hamas, which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had vowed to destroy, is already reasserting control in Gaza. The deal put forward by the US is intentionally… Continue reading News October 3, 2025 01:44 MIN Sana’a Center Discusses Yemen Crisis and Red Sea Escalation at the 9th International Forum in Shanghai The Sana’a Center for Strategic Studies took part in the 9th International Forum on Asia and the Middle East, hosted by Shanghai International Studies University (SISU) from September 26–28. Sana’a Center experts presented papers and participated in discussions on Yemen’s ongoing crisis and the growing tensions in the Red Sea. Held under the theme “The World and the Middle East from the Perspective of a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind: Great Changes and New Developments,” the forum brought together scholars and policymakers from around 25 countries, along with representatives from international institutions. Discussions covered shifting power dynamics in Asia and the Middle East, the roles of regional and global actors, transformations in the energy sector, and issues of… Continue reading Main Publications September 15, 2025 02:34 MIN Safeguarding the Rights and Freedoms of Yemeni Women and Girls: Stakeholders Advocacy Strategy 2025-2030 Constraints on women’s rights and freedoms, along with gender imbalances, are struggles in Yemen that predate the war. A decade of conflict, political instability, and pervasive insecurity has compounded this situation, posing a serious threat to the role and participation of Yemeni women in public life. Reports of increased gender-based violence, discrimination, and marginalization of women; restrictions on their freedom of movement and expression; as well as harassment and targeting of female leaders and activists are all worrying trends that appear to be on the rise since the onset of war. Without action, they risk pushing women out of Yemen’s political and public life. In response, the Sana’a Center for Strategic Studies convened a three-day scenario-building workshop in Amman, Jordan,… Continue reading Main Publications September 15, 2025 01:35 MIN Fostering Opportunities for E-Commerce Growth in Yemen By Aylin Junga Yemen's e-commerce sector holds significant potential to drive economic growth and financial inclusion, particularly for women and rural communities, but faces major challenges, including poor internet connectivity, limited digital payment systems, and the absence of legal and regulatory frameworks. The country remains heavily cash-based, with minimal access to formal banking and fragmented oversight, exposing consumers and providers to fraud and limiting sector development. Internet infrastructure is among the worst globally, with only 17.7 percent of the population online in 2024, though the recent introduction of Starlink offers hope for improved connectivity. Conflict-related damage to transportation networks further hinders delivery services. Despite these obstacles, some businesses have found success, especially in urban areas, by adapting to logistical constraints. Yemen’s youthful, increasingly… Continue reading News September 11, 2025 02:58 MIN Adopting a National Day for Transitional Justice in Yemen Amid the ongoing conflict and its catastrophic repercussions for Yemenis, transitional justice has emerged as one of the most critical pathways to peace in Yemen. It is the only road to a genuine and comprehensive peace that places victims at the heart of the justice process by acknowledging the violations they have endured, providing them with reparations, and working to ensure that such violations are never repeated. From our perspective, as Yemeni youth who have lived through the conflict since its beginning and witnessed violations and victims at the hands of various parties, the issue of transitional justice has been mostly absent from public discourse, policy, and even in peace consultations. Believing in our responsibility as young people to shape… Continue reading Analysis September 2, 2025 07:49 MIN Israeli Strikes Target Houthi-Appointed Cabinet, PM and Other Ministers Killed By Sana’a Center Staff, Abdulghani Al-Iryani, and Hussam Radman On August 28, Israeli strikes targeted a high-level meeting of ministers appointed by the Houthi group (Ansar Allah) in Sana’a, killing Prime Minister Ahmed Ghaleb al-Rahawi and other cabinet officials. Airstrikes hit residential neighborhoods of Sana’a city a day after Houthi forces launched a ballistic missile toward Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport. For over a year, Israel has targeted ports, airports, and infrastructure in Sana’a and other Houthi-held areas of Yemen in response to regular missile and drone barrages by the group, which states it is fighting Israel in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. The Houthis confirmed the death of Al-Rahawi, along with at least 11 other individuals. While the attack represents a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict between the… Continue reading News September 1, 2025 01:00 MIN The Launch of Transitional Justice Week Transitional Justice Week in Yemen commenced on August 29, marking the launch of an initiative aimed at highlighting the importance of transitional justice in achieving sustainable peace in Yemen. Led by the Transitional Justice Team at the Yemen Peace Forum in partnership with the Sana’a Center for Strategic Studies, events running from August 29 to September 2 will bring together victims of violations, representatives of victims’ associations, youth, civil society organizations, as well as Yemeni and international human rights experts and advocates. Sessions will tackle central themes of transitional justice, including enforced disappearances, truth-seeking, accountability, reparations, and guarantees of non-recurrence, while highlighting the tireless efforts of civil society organizations and families of the disappeared. Discussions will also explore how cultural… Continue reading