Talks on forming a new Yemeni government collapsed on August 24 after thousands of Houthi supporters rallied in Sana’a on August 22 to protest against the rise in fuel prices. The government offered on August 25 to resign within a month to pave the way for a technocrat administration that would review the fuel subsidy issue.
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The fall of Amran and the future of the Islah party in Yemen
Charles Schmitz, a scholar at the Middle East Institute, writes that the fall of Amran in July has extraordinary political significance: The Houthis advance dislodged al-Ahmar family’s grip on the leadership of the Hashid tribal confederation, a central political pillar of the Yemeni Republic since 1962, and threatened the survival of the Islah Party itself. These events indicate that the balance of power on the ground in Yemen is shifting, and Islah appears to be losing. [Middle East Institute, 8/25/2014]
Yemen fuel subsidy cuts hit poor hardest
A sharp increase in fuel prices threatens to plunge hundreds of thousands of Yemenis into poverty and food insecurity in the Arab world’s poorest country, particularly if regular welfare payments to Yemen’s poorest people continue to be dispersed erratically, aid organizations have warned. [IRIN, 8/25/2014]
Yemen’s Houthis and their “Peaceful Revolution”
Robert Sharp writes in International Policy Digest that the conditions of the current Houthi cause are not a new development, but rather began back in 2003 with the emergence of tensions with Saudi Arabia, links to Iran, clashes during seven wars with Yemen security forces, an ongoing clash with Al-Islah, and more recent conflict with Al-Qaeda. Sharp warns that if the Houthis continue to bully the government for concessions, then Yemen will start to resemble Iraq and Syria. [International Policy Digest, 8/23/2014]
Yemen government talks with Houthis fail
Talks on forming a new Yemeni government collapsed on August 24 after thousands of Houthi supporters rallied in Sana’a on August 22 to protest against the rise in fuel prices. The government offered on August 25 to resign within a month to pave the way for a technocrat administration that would review the fuel subsidy issue. [Al Arabiya, 8/24/2014]
Houthi political movement “Ansarullah” rejects G10 message
Ansarullah, the political group of the Houthi movement, rejected the message delivered by the Group of 10 ambassadors sponsoring the Gulf initiative on August 20 urging Ansarullah to participate in the political process in Yemen. [Saba, Yemen Online, 8/20/2014]
UN support to justice sector in Yemen discussed
Justice Minister Judge Murshid al-Arshani met with Resident Representative of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) George Abu al-Zulof on August 25 to review the strategic plan to support the justice sector development project in Yemen. [Saba, 8/25/2014]
United Nations reschedules meeting on Yemen
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) postponed its next meeting to discuss Yemen to August 29 because Jamal Benomar, special adviser to the secretary-general on Yemen, is still holding extensive consultations with political forces in the country. The meeting was originally scheduled for August 25. [Al Masdar (Arabic), 8/24/2014]
Yemen, Tunisia sign MoU for cooperation in energy field
Yemen and Tunisia signed a memorandum of understanding for cooperation between the two countries in the energy field. The memorandum of understanding included the cooperation and exchange of expertise in renewable energy sources, as well as encouraging the private sector in both countries for joint investment. [Saba, 8/24/2014]
Senior Yemeni army commander killed in car explosion
A high-ranking commander of the Yemeni armed forces was killed on August 23 when a bomb attached to his car went off in Aden. Brigadier Omari worked as director of the military supply unit in the 3rd Regional Military Command stationed in Shabwa and Marib. No one has claimed responsibility for the attack. [Al Masdar (Arabic), 8/25/2014]
Gunmen shot dead three policemen in Abyan
Unidentified gunmen in Abyan killed three policemen on August 20. The gunmen opened fire at military police officers stationed on the outskirts of Abyan, killing three policemen instantly. [Turkish Weekly, Business Standard, 8/21/2014]
Yemen militants gun down tribal leader
Unidentified assailants gunned down a Yemeni tribal leader in Sana’a on August 19. The militants opened fire on Sheikh Abdel-Karim al-Dhahab’s car, killing him instantly and injuring two of his companions. [Al Masdar (Arabic), 8/19/2014]
Yemeni victims of drone strikes get more than $1 million in compensation
The Yemeni government paid the families of those killed or injured in a US drone strike last year more than $1 million. Officials say that airstrikes on August 16 that killed five militants in Shabwa were widely described as US drone strikes, but were actually carried out by Yemeni aircraft. [Gulf news, 8/19/2014]
Military breaks up al-Qaeda-linked terror cell in Hadramawt
Four al-Qaeda members were killed and five others were taken into custody when a military unit broke up a terror cell linked to al-Qaeda in Hadramawt. Clashes between al-Qaeda and the military in Hadramawt resulted in the death of one soldier and the injury of five others. [Yemen Post, 8/18/2014]
Donor pledges for Yemen increase to $8.2 billion
Yemen recently recorded a 3 percent increase in financial pledges from foreign donors, bringing the total to $8.2 billion, at a time when officials anticipate an increase in the rate of fund allocation. New pledges came from Germany ($100 million), the UK ($90 million), the US ($41 million), Japan ($36.5 million) and Sweden ($12 million). [Al Shorfa, 8/25/2014]
CBY records a rise in foreign reserves and a growth in budget
Yemen increased its foreign exchange reserves to 1 trillion and 36 billion by the end of June 2014, up 48 billion from May 2013. On August 20, Governor of Yemen’s Central Bank Mohammed bin Hamam said the fiscal conditions and banking activity in Yemen is stable mainly due to increasing investors’ trust in the rial and increasing demand for foreign currency. [Yemen Post, Central Bank,Al Thawra (Arabic), 8/21/2014]
China ranks as Yemen’s top trade partner in 2013 for fifth successive year
China continues to be Yemen’s largest trading partner for the fifth successive year. China’s imports accounted for 23.7 percent of Yemen’s exports bringing in more than $1.7 billion in 2013. [Yemen Post, 8/20/2014]
IFJ demands Yemeni authorities to increase media protection
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) demanded of Yemeni authorities to increase protection for media workers on August 18. This came following an escalation in attacks, including the murder of a Senior Journalist Abdul-Rahman Hameed Aldin who worked for Sana’a Radio and was shot on August 15 by an armed group in Sana’a. [Saba, Al Masdar (Arabic), 8/18/2014]