Shifting Political Alliances: Are Gains from Yemen’s National Dialogue Slipping Away

A discussion with
Mohammed Almaitami
Chairman
Khobara Center for Development and Consulting Services

Moderated by
Danya Greenfield
Acting Director, Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East
Atlantic Council

Six months after the completion of Yemen’s national dialogue, political reconciliation and stability seem illusive; troubling divisions among Northerners and Southerners as well as the resurgent Houthi conflict in the north threaten to impede the transition. The tug-of-war for power and shifting allegiances among major political and tribal factions threaten to reverse the tentative, yet important, gains made through the National Dialogue. In the midst of such instability, constitution drafting is slowly proceeding, and serious questions remain about the shift to federalism amid discord and lack of leadership. At the same time, the government has been unable to address fuel shortages and food insecurity, and the general economic climate continues to deteriorate. How can President Abdrabo Mansour Hadi navigate these challenges and continue to move the political process and economic recovery forward? What role do external actors play—both positive and negative—in Yemen’s transition?

Please join the Atlantic Council’s Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East for a roundtable discussion on the most critical issues shaping Yemen’s prospects for political and economic progress. Mohammed Almaitamiis currently the chairman of the Khabara Center for Development and Consulting Services and will be a representative for the Center for International Private Enterprise representative in Yemen starting in August. Danya Greenfield is the acting director of the Hariri Center for the Middle East and leads the Yemen Policy Initiative, a platform for debate and dialogue on Yemen’s transition and US policy in Yemen.

DATE: Wednesday, July 30

TIME: 12:30-2:00 p.m.
A light lunch will be served

LOCATION: Atlantic Council
1030 15th St NW, 12th floor
Washington, DC 20005