diplomacy

Main Publications August 11, 2025 01:35 MIN Unlocking Climate Finance for Fragile States: The Case of Yemen By Musaed Aklan, and Sahar Mohammed Yemen is vulnerable to climate change and affected by ongoing conflict, facing worsening environmental crises such as water scarcity, degradation of arable land, and an increasing frequency of extreme weather events. The country’s capacity to address the impact of climate change is severely hampered by limited access to international climate finance. Obstacles include the absence of clear criteria for fund distribution, bureaucratic complexities that exceed local institutional capacity, an emphasis on mitigation over adaptation measures, and a preference for providing loans over grants. Fragmented governance and a decade-long climate data gap further undermine the country’s eligibility for funding. Yemen lacks accredited national institutions capable of directly accessing climate funds, which forces it to rely on international non-governmental organizations (INGOs). This… Continue reading Main Publications August 4, 2025 08:01 MIN Yemen International Forum 2025 Report The third Yemen International Forum (YIF III) took place in Amman from February 16 - 18, 2025, gathering more than 300 participants to discuss peace prospects and stability in Yemen. Since the outbreak of the war on Gaza in October 2023, Yemen has been tested in myriad ways. Attacks on the Red Sea and the rising prominence of the Houthis within the “Axis of Resistance” have thrust Yemen into regional conflict, undermining hope for an end to its decade-long war. Since the last YIF held in the Hague in June 2023, where discussions centered on cautious optimism for a potential peace settlement, Yemen has undertaken a dramatic U-turn. Peace efforts have taken a backseat while international attention has increasingly turned… Continue reading Yemen Review section July 22, 2025 14:34 MIN April-June 2025 Politics and Diplomacy — The Yemen Review, April-June 2025 By Casey Coombs On May 3, Yemen’s embattled Prime Minister Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak resigned after just over a year in office, following months of clashes with Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) chief Rashad al-Alimi, as well as other PLC and cabinet members. Finance Minister Salem bin Breik was immediately named as his replacement. Bin Mubarak said his resignation stemmed from his efforts to assert his constitutional authority to overhaul the cabinet, an endeavor which was stymied by the PLC. He clashed repeatedly with Al-Alimi over his attempt to appoint 12 new ministers and resisted pushes by the Southern Transitional Council (STC) to place loyal deputies in ministries. On March 7, only three ministers attended a cabinet meeting called by Bin Mubarak at Al-Maashiq… Continue reading News July 16, 2025 03:08 MIN Sana’a Center Visit to Colombia Focuses on Peacebuilding and Justice Bogotá, Colombia, July 6, 2025 — The Sana’a Center for Strategic Studies has concluded a week-long study tour to Colombia, exploring the country’s peace process, transitional justice system, and approaches to inclusive reconciliation. The trip gathered insights into the design of peace processes and transitional justice frameworks to help inform the Sana’a Center’s ongoing work on justice and reconciliation in Yemen. The visit, funded by the Kingdom of the Netherlands, was carried out in partnership with Yemen’s DeepRoot Consulting and involved participation from members of the Hikma Fellowship. The study tour in Colombia was organized by Fundación Acordemos, a Bogotá-based organization founded in 2023 by members of the team behind Colombia’s historic peace agreement with the FARC. The Sana’a Center… Continue reading Publications June 17, 2025 03:59 MIN Beyond Rhetoric: Houthi Options in the Israel-Iran War By Yazeed Al-Jeddawy The rapid escalation between Israel and Iran in recent days threatens to reshape regional dynamics while exposing the limits of the Houthi group (Ansar Allah) as a reliable pressure tool for Tehran. Before Israel attacked Iran in the early hours of Friday morning, the Houthis had positioned themselves as Israel’s most active threat. In response to Israeli retaliatory strikes in Yemen, the Houthis warned that no site in Israel would be completely safe, announcing that they are testing new missiles capable of causing greater damage to Israel, and going as far as urging diplomatic missions in Israel to evacuate and communicate with the “Yemeni Armed Forces” to ensure their safety. Domestically, the Houthis continue to claim victory in the Red… Continue reading Analysis May 9, 2025 08:58 MIN Why Did Trump Decide to Halt Operations in Yemen? By Hussam Radman Over the past few days, Yemen has witnessed a series of dramatic developments that could profoundly reshape the local and regional dynamics of the conflict. First, the Houthis succeeded in breaching Israeli air defenses with a ballistic missile attack targeting Ben Gurion Airport. Second, Israel launched a markedly more destructive response, striking economic infrastructure in Yemen and rendering both the port of Hudaydah and Sana’a Airport completely inoperable. Finally, US President Donald Trump announced a halt to US airstrikes in Yemen after the Houthis agreed to cease attacks against the US Navy and commercial vessels in the Red Sea. This rapid and stunning turn of events effectively signals that Washington has chosen to relinquish its role as a geopolitical stabilizer… Continue reading Analysis April 21, 2025 08:27 MIN January-March 2025 Gulf Allies Could Prove Key in US Plans in Yemen By Elham A. Omar On March 15, US President Donald Trump ordered a series of “decisive and powerful” airstrikes targeting Yemen’s Houthis in response to the group’s attacks on commercial and military vessels in the Red Sea. The operation marks the most significant US military engagement in the Middle East since Trump retook office, with the stated aims of degrading Houthi capabilities and sending a clear message to their Iranian allies. Trump’s escalation has heightened tensions with Iran, risking a broader confrontation. Meanwhile, regional reactions to the strikes have been shaped by states’ interests, alliances, and the ripple effects of the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The UAE, which backs powerful military groups in southern Yemen, has a history of supporting a hawkish approach to… Continue reading Analysis April 21, 2025 08:55 MIN January-March 2025 Breaking the Glass Ceiling: Yemeni Women in Diplomacy By Rim Mugahed, Hana’a Abdurabu, and Essa Al-Qadasy “Our main challenge as women in Yemen is simply the fact that we are women,” - Sahar Ghanem, Yemeni Ambassador to the Netherlands. “How can women have a strong presence [in diplomacy] when we aren’t in decision-making positions at all?” - Female Yemeni diplomat. The underrepresentation of women in Yemen’s political and public sphere existed before the war and has only worsened due to the ongoing conflict over the past decade. The Yemeni government formed as part of the Riyadh Agreement in 2020 did not include female ministers, marking the first time women had been entirely excluded from a cabinet in nearly two decades. In a context of escalating tension and polarization, this marginalization extends to all other structures, where… Continue reading Yemen Review section April 21, 2025 12:31 MIN January-March 2025 Politics and Diplomacy — The Yemen Review, January-March 2025 By Casey Coombs The year-long Houthi (Ansar Allah) campaign of military attacks on Red Sea shipping came to a halt on January 19, following news of a ceasefire agreement in Gaza. Houthi leader Abdelmalek al-Houthi announced a conditional suspension of the attacks on US- and UK-affiliated shipping as long as Western airstrikes in Yemen ceased. However, the group said Israeli-linked vessels would still be barred from Red Sea transit and threatened to resume attacks if the Gaza ceasefire deal was broken. Two days into the ceasefire, the Houthis released the crew of the Galaxy Leader, a cargo ship the group had hijacked in November 2023. Houthi officials said the move came at the request of Hamas and Omani mediators. Despite the Houthi pause… Continue reading Yemen Review section April 18, 2025 03:51 MIN January-March 2025 In Dealing with the Houthis, US Diplomacy is the Silver Bullet By Abdulghani Al-Iryani Ever since the Houthis started disrupting commercial marine traffic through the Red Sea in late 2023, calls for the use of force have been sounded from every corner of the anti-Houthi camp. The Yemeni government has advocated for international military action, while UAE-sponsored armed groups have hinted at their willingness to spearhead an international offensive against the Houthis. Clearly, none of these parties learned the lessons of Iraq and Afghanistan. Civil wars are not settled by foreign intervention. At best, foreign forces can tip the balance in favor of their domestic allies, but more often than not, they merely prolong the conflict, fuel the war economy, exacerbate the bloodshed, and then withdraw in a hurry, leaving local partners to their… Continue reading Publications February 27, 2025 18:32 MIN Recovering from Attacks on Education in Yemen By Alexander Kochenburger Education is often one of the greatest casualties of war. In Yemen, this reality is borne out by the thousands of damaged and destroyed schools, tens of thousands of child soldiers, hundreds of thousands of teachers working without regular pay, and millions of students out of school. Mere numbers, however, are not sufficient to encapsulate the true toll. A generation of Yemenis have had their right to education and hope for a better future stripped away by airstrikes and fighting, by landmines and armed groups in and around their schools, and by beleaguered teachers presiding the best they can in over-crowded classrooms. This policy brief examines the effects of Yemen’s armed conflict on the country’s education system, focusing in particular… Continue reading Main Publications February 16, 2025 11:36 MIN Yemen International Forum III Background Dossier The Yemen International Forum (YIF) is the largest and most inclusive platform for policy dialogues related to Yemen's conflict and ongoing peace process. Unique in its approach, it serves as a continuous civil society-led peace initiative, providing a space for Yemeni, regional, and international engagement aimed at overcoming current crises and paving the way to a peaceful, prosperous, and just Yemen. Since its launch in 2022, the YIF has convened over 500 political representatives, policymakers, peace mediators, experts, and civil society representatives and contributed to multi-thematic peace initiatives, ranging from political and civic engagement to transitional justice, economic deescalation, and the environment-conflict nexus. As part of the YIF, consultations with Yemeni experts and stakeholders and extensive regional and international shuttle… Continue reading