United Arab Emirates–Yemen relations

Last updated
Emirati–Yemeni relations
UAE Yemen Locator (orthographic projection).png
Flag of the United Arab Emirates.svg
United Arab Emirates
Flag of Yemen.svg
Yemen

The UAE and Yemen have a complex and strained relationship, as the UAE has played a significant role in regional politics in Yemen, and has at various points been an adversary of the country, as the UAE's involvement in Yemen, for example the United Arab Emirates takeover of Socotra, and its support for the Southern Transitional Council, a secessionist organization in Southern Yemen, [1] has been a source of tension between the two countries, and has contributed to the ongoing conflict and humanitarian crisis in the country. Furthermore, the UAE has been involved in other efforts in Yemen that have been controversial. The country has been accused of backing local militias and separatist groups that have sought to gain more autonomy or independence from the central government. Some critics have accused the UAE of using these groups to further its own interests in the region, rather than working towards a broader peace and stability in Yemen. [2]

Contents

History

The diplomatic relations between the UAE and Yemen started in 1971, Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan have made four official visits to Yemen, first on November 21, 1972, fourth on December 21, 1986, when the Ma'rib Dam, which was rebuilt at the expense of the UAE, was opened. [3]

Alongside the Federal Republic of Germany, the UAE chairs the Task Force on Economics and Good Governance in the Friends of Yemen International Group that was formed during the London 2010 conference to support development in Yemen. The Emirates Red Crescent Authority opened an office in the capital, Sanaa, in 1996 .

The two countries agreed to form the UAE-Yemeni Joint Ministerial Committee in 1995 under the chairmanship of the two foreign ministers. The committee held the session of its first meeting in the Yemeni capital, Sana'a, on February 12, 2001, and the committee held its second meeting in Abu Dhabi during the period December 14–16, 2009.

Saudi Arabia invaded Yemen with the help of the UAE, Bahrain and Qatar. [4] [5] Yemen then started to fire rockets and drones at Saudi Arabia, UAE, Israel, Jordan and Egypt. [6] [7]

The Yemeni Civil War

The UAE joined the Saudi-led intervention in Yemen in support for the Hadi Government of Yemen. On April 30, 2018, UAE invaded Socotra island from Yemen. Two weeks later on 14 May, Saudi troops were also deployed to the archipelago and a deal was brokered between the United Arab Emirates Armed Forces and Yemen's forces for a joint military training exercise and the return of administrative control of Socotra's airport and seaport to Yemen. [8] [9] [10] The relations were strained for a while after the United Arab Emirates takeover of Socotra.

Sheikh Моhamed bin Zayed al-Nahyan sought Mattis's assistance as a military advisor during the Yemen war. However, Mattis's consultations with the UАЕ were not disclosed in public records during his tenure as Secretary of Defense under President Trump. Despite this lack of transparency, Mattis maintained a strong relationship with the UАЕ, highlighted by a speech he delivered in Аbu Dhаbi. [11]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United Arab Emirates Armed Forces</span> Military of the United Arab Emirates

The United Arab Emirates Armed Forces are the armed forces of the United Arab Emirates. They are also occasionally referred to as "Little Sparta", a nickname that was given by former United States Marine Corps General and Secretary of Defense James Mattis, due to their active and effective military role and power projection in the surrounding region compared to their relative size.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan</span> President of the United Arab Emirates from 2004 to 2022

Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan was the second president of the United Arab Emirates and the ruler of Abu Dhabi, serving from November 2004 until his death in May 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan</span> President of the United Arab Emirates

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, popularly known by his initials as MBZ or MbZ, is an Emirati royal and politician who currently serves as the third president of the United Arab Emirates and the ruler of Abu Dhabi.

The history of the Jews in the United Arab Emirates describes the historical and modern presence of Jews over the millennia in the Middle East and the recorded meetings with Jewish communities in areas that are today in the geographic territories of the United Arab Emirates.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United Arab Emirates–United States relations</span> Bilateral relations

The United Arab Emirates has quite a close and friendly relationship with the US, being described as the United States' best counter-terrorism ally in the Gulf by Richard A. Clarke, the U.S. national security advisor and counter-terrorism expert. In terms of defense, the United Arab Emirates Armed Forces has been nicknamed "Little Sparta" by United States Armed Forces generals and former U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis for its active role against extremists in the Middle East. The United Arab Emirates also hosts the only United States border preclearance in the Middle East. Both countries are members of the I2U2 Group, which was established in 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Russia–United Arab Emirates relations</span> Bilateral relations

The relationship between the Russian Federation and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) stretches back to December 1971, when the Soviet Union and UAE established diplomatic relations. Relations between the two countries have been described as close and a "somewhat strategic partnership", with the countries cooperating closely in Iraq, Egypt and Libya.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Turkey–United Arab Emirates relations</span> Bilateral relations

Turkey and the United Arab Emirates share extensive cultural, military and economic ties, but relations have substantially deteriorated since Arab Spring, however, relations did start to recover in recent years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">France–United Arab Emirates relations</span> Bilateral relations

France–United Arab Emirates relations are the foreign relations between France and the United Arab Emirates.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iran–United Arab Emirates relations</span> Bilateral relations

Relations between the neighboring countries of Iran and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are deeply historic, dating back centuries prior to the establishment of the modern-day United Arab Emirates; however today are shaky and unpredictable. Both the countries maintain diplomatic relations with each other, having embassies in each other's capitals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australia–United Arab Emirates relations</span> Bilateral relations

Bilateral ties exist between Australia and the United Arab Emirates. The UAE maintains an embassy in Canberra whilst Australia has an embassy in Abu Dhabi and a consulate-general in Dubai.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Egypt–United Arab Emirates relations</span> Bilateral relations

Since the independence of the United Arab Emirates from Britain in 1971, Egypt and the UAE relations were always at a good level and developing at an unprecedented rate. Egypt has an embassy in Abu Dhabi and consulate-general in Dubai while the UAE maintains an embassy in Cairo. The bond of friendship between the leaders of both countries has reflected on the growing political, economic and cultural ties between them, and as a result the UAE ranks first among Arab and foreign countries investing in Egypt. UAE and Egypt maintain a close economic ties and maintain trade between the two countries, with imports and exports between the two sides. The government of the UAE, by an order from Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan the President of UAE, gave Egypt cargo ships carrying 1,000,000 tonnes of wheat as a food gift to the people of Egypt. The UAE supported the 2013 Egyptian coup d'état and has since become Egypt's closest ally.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Syria–United Arab Emirates relations</span> Bilateral relations

Syria–United Arab Emirates relations refer to the relationship between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the Syrian Arab Republic. The UAE has an embassy in Damascus and Syria has an embassy in Abu Dhabi and a consulate-general in Dubai. Both countries are members of the Arab League, part of the Middle East region and share close cultural ties.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saudi Arabia–United Arab Emirates relations</span> Bilateral relations

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.) are neighbouring countries in the Middle East and Persian Gulf region, and share extensive political and cultural ties. Saudi Arabia maintains an embassy in Abu Dhabi and a consulate in Dubai of the U.A.E., while the U.A.E. has an embassy in Riyadh and a consulate in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United Arab Emirates–United Kingdom relations</span> Bilateral relations

The United Arab Emirates has an embassy in London while the United Kingdom maintains an embassy in Abu Dhabi and is unique in having another Embassy in Dubai, albeit with His Britannic Majesty's Consul-General to Dubai and the Northern Emirates, as opposed to a separate British Ambassador. The UAE-UK relations have been described as a "special relationship".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United Arab Emirates takeover of Socotra</span> 2018 occupation of the Yemeni island group during the civil war

On 30 April 2018, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) deployed more than a hundred troops with artillery and armored vehicles to the Yemeni archipelago of Socotra in the Guardafui Channel without prior coordination with the Yemeni government, causing the relations of the two countries to deteriorate. The initial deployment consisted of UAE military aircraft carrying more than fifty UAE soldiers and two armored vehicles, followed by two more aircraft carrying more soldiers, tanks and other armored vehicles. Al Jazeera reported that shortly after landing, UAE forces dismissed Yemeni soldiers stationed at administrative installations such as Socotra Airport and seaports until further notice, and the flag of the United Arab Emirates was raised above at official government buildings in Hadibu. On 14 May an agreement was reached between the UAE and Yemen which saw Yemen regain administrative control and Saudi Arabian troops also being deployed to the island.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saudi Arabia–United Arab Emirates border</span> International border

The Saudi Arabia–United Arab Emirates border is 457 km (284 mi) in length and runs from the Arabian Gulf coast in the west to the tripoint with Oman in the east.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Armenia–United Arab Emirates relations</span> Bilateral relations

Armenia–United Arab Emirates relations are the diplomatic relations between Armenia and the United Arab Emirates. Official relations exist between both nations since 1998. Armenia has an embassy in Abu Dhabi and a consulate in Dubai. The United Arab Emirates has embassy in Yerevan.

The 2022 Abu Dhabi attack was an attack against three oil tanker trucks and an under construction airport extension infrastructure in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates conducted by the Houthi movement using drones and missiles. Although several missiles and drones were intercepted, 3 civilians were killed and 6 were injured by a drone attack.

The political history of the United Arab Emirates covers political events and trends related to the history of the United Arab Emirates.

Events in the year 2022 in the United Arab Emirates.

References

  1. "Why are Saudi and the UAE competing in southern Yemen?". Why are Saudi and the UAE competing in southern Yemen?. Retrieved 2022-12-23.
  2. "The UAE's Three Strategic Interests in Yemen". Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington. 2022-02-24. Retrieved 2022-12-23.
  3. WAM (2013-07-29). "Key aid projects during Zayed's time". Khaleej Times. Archived from the original on 2019-04-16. Retrieved 2018-04-09.
  4. Mazzetti, Mark; Kirkpatrick, David D. (2015-03-25). "Saudi Arabia Leads Air Assault in Yemen". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2023-11-17.
  5. "War in Yemen". Global Conflict Tracker. Retrieved 2023-11-17.
  6. Ben-Ari, Lior (2023-11-01). "Not content with harming Israel, the Houthis lock horns with the UAE and the Saudis". Ynetnews. Retrieved 2023-11-17.
  7. "Why Yemeni Houthis' attack on Israel has many worried". The Indian Express. 2023-11-01. Retrieved 2023-11-17.
  8. "Yemen PM: Crisis over UAE deployment to Socotra over". Aljazeera.com .
  9. "Yemen, UAE Agree on Deal Over Socotra". Al Bawaba . 14 May 2018.
  10. "As Saudi Arabia and the UAE struggle for control of Socotra, Yemen's island paradise may just swap one occupation for another". The Independent . 21 May 2018.
  11. Whitlock, Craig; Jones, Nate (2024-02-06). "Mattis secretly advised Arab monarch on Yemen war, records show". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2024-02-14.