Yemenis in DC

I spent a couple of hours with visiting Yemenis earlier this week, focused on the current national dialogue.  This was not a cross-section of Yemeni society.  These were well-educated, mostly mid- to upper-level bureaucrats who certainly know what people in Washington want to hear.

The vision they projected is not reconstruction but rather building a New Yemen: a single (but not overly centralized) civil state, stronger provincial and local self-governance, stronger protection of individual rights.  Three hurdles seemed  foremost on the Yemenis’ minds:

• fuller integration of the south;
• security for the population;
• international community engagement.

The south.  Failed integration of the south with the rest of Yemen is top on everyone’s agenda.  The south’s complaints are legion:  the north controls its resources, southerners have lost government jobs, the south’s infrastructure is destroyed, its literacy rate has declined, its people are impoverished and marginalized.  The south is “boiling.”  The overwhelming majority of southerners, if asked, would opt for secession, but even southerners suggest that does not mean it would be a wise decision.

People in the north feel that they have already sacrificed for unity, but more needs to be done.  Return of property to people and people to their property is particularly important.  Local government will provide some measure of “self-determination,” by which the Yemenis appear to mean “self-governance” rather than independence.  Of course the true secessionists don’t find themselves in Washington discussions.

Security.  There are still far too many military installations in populated areas and too many armed groups not under a unified command.  The internal security function should be brought under civilian control and military installations removed to more remote areas.  Security of electrical lines and oil pipelines is particularly important and should be a priority for the army, which needs to get out of population centers and deal with the spoilers who disrupt energy supplies.  The economy is picking up, but there are still far too many threats to human rights, women and youth.  Rule of law is vital to moving away from sectarianism and regionalism.

The international community.  Gulf Cooperation Council support to Yemen is appreciated, but American engagement is still important, especially for implementation of the national dialogue conclusions.  It will produce a new, civil state in Yemen.  That state will face enormous external as well as internal challenges:  the Saudis are expelling Yemeni guest workers, the northern Houthi rebellion is still getting international funding, terrorists are still getting international financing and weapons.

Asked about prospects for Yemen’s economy, an American expert suggested that the port of Aden is the vital linchpin for the country’s development.  A good, deep port in an ideal location, rehabilitated it could provide transshipment services for goods from Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia.  It could also become the center of a customs-free manufacturing zone.

Yemen is by no means out of danger, but watching the Yemenis present their views and quarrel amiably suggested that they have at least learned to talk with each other.  That is an important prerequisite to solving their problems, even if there is no guarantee they will succeed.  The national dialogue is supposed to end by September, after which the country will start to write a new constitution.  The Yemenis visiting DC were anxious to keep to the timeline and get on with fixing their broken polity.  It would be churlish not to wish their national dialogue well, even if the problems remain daunting.