Yemen charting road to peace and security with new government

Yemen turned a new page with the formation of a new government last week. Led by former Foreign Minister Dr. Shaya Al-Zindani, it promised major economic, political and security reforms.

Al-Zindani is a veteran diplomat who served in the diplomatic corps of the pre-1990 southern government, then in the unity government post-1990, before he was appointed foreign minister in 2024. As a conciliatory leader who avoids friction and inflammatory rhetoric, he is the man for the moment.

The challenges before the new government are immense. Politically, the main task is to resume the search for a political solution to the Yemen crisis. The UN-mediated talks with the Houthis are at a standstill and need to be jumpstarted. With the dissolution of the Southern Transitional Council, the government has reunited all areas under its authority and is in a good position to lead the negotiations.

Yemen needs to strengthen its international support systems. During the eight-year conflict with the Southern Transitional Council, it was nearly paralyzed as the rebel group usurped government authority and pursued its own diplomatic moves. The near-unanimous expressions of support for the new government are a measure of how much the international community is eager for Yemen to resume its rightful place in the region and that it is ready to lend a helping hand.

The Friends of Yemen is one of those support systems. It is a group of 30 major countries that have in the past provided political, economic and security support for Yemen. The G10 group of ambassadors, which grew to become 20 ambassadors from the countries most concerned about Yemen, including the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, provided useful diplomatic coordination. Donors also had their own group to coordinate with the government on aid. These support groups supplemented the work of joint Gulf Cooperation Council-Yemen committees and bilateral relations.

As a conciliatory leader who avoids friction and inflammatory rhetoric, Al-Zindani is the man for the moment

Dr. Abdel Aziz Aluwaisheg

Security is a paramount concern for the new government. Internally, it has to deal with the Houthi military threat. Although there has been a tenuous truce for about four years, the rebel group has broken it with numerous attempts to annex more land. It also poses a serious threat to maritime security and freedom of navigation in the Red Sea, Bab Al-Mandab Strait and Gulf of Aden. The Yemeni government’s ability to patrol its territorial waters was hampered by the fragmentation of security forces and the rivalry between them.

The situation improved with the Southern Transitional Council’s dissolution last month and especially since the government decided to put all armed groups under a unified command in coordination with the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen. Yemen could now play a larger role in countering Houthi threats, both internal and in Yemeni waters, but it needs support from the rest of the world.

The third major challenge, after the political and security spheres, is the state of the economy, which has hampered the government’s ability to provide basic services and humanitarian assistance to the population. The Southern Transitional Council rebellion against the internationally recognized government in 2017 exacerbated an already fragile economy, which nearly collapsed in 2015 following the Houthi takeover of the capital Sanaa the previous September.

To bring the economy back, the government needs security, stability and the resumption of economic activity

Dr. Abdel Aziz Aluwaisheg

Yemen’s gross domestic product contracted by more than 37 percent in three years, from $43 billion in 2014 to about $31 billion in 2016 and $27 billion in 2017, the year the Southern Transitional Council began its rebellion. During its eight-year control of much of the south between 2017 and 2025, the economy shrank to $17 billion. Thus, the Houthi insurgency in the north and the Southern Transitional Council rebellion in the south caused a 58-percent contraction from 2014 levels.

To bring the economy back from this unprecedented collapse, the government needs security, stability and the resumption of economic activity. There is significant economic potential but the government needs the help of its friends and partners, especially in restoring economic capacity.

There are at least four areas of potential economic growth that could be maximized through international engagement and cooperation. Oil and gas production can bring in fuel for the needed economic recovery and funds for government expenditure. Restoring farmers’ ability to grow crops and export surplus could bring life back to the countryside and improve food security. In the past, Yemen had thriving fisheries for both local consumption and export. Tourism also has some potential, especially specialized and ecotourism.

Realizing the significant potential in these four areas requires several steps, which the government could handle with the help of its growing group of friends. Security needs to be restored to jumpstart economic activity. The exchange rate needs to be stabilized to reassure traders. And a sound economic plan is needed to spur investment.

• Dr. Abdel Aziz Aluwaisheg is the GCC assistant secretary-general for political affairs and negotiation. The views expressed here are personal and do not necessarily represent those of the GCC. X: @abuhamad1