Relations between Yemen and the US can be divided to three levels.
Political
The Yemeni and US governments both have embassy level representations in each other's capital cities. At the same time, Yemen's present President who was also the President of North Yemen prior to unification has visited the US on a number of occasions (most recent visit after re-unification was in November 2001). However it must be noted that the relationship between the two countries has hit a thaw on a number of occasions. The first was in 1990 when Yemen took a Pro-Saddam stance in the UN which angered the US (and Kuwaiti) administration. The second thaw was after a number of anti-US attacks in Yemen culminating in the attack against USS Cole in October 2000. There were also other attacks against US interests such as M/V Limburg in October 2002; and the murder of three American NGO health workers in December 2002. The crux of the problem was that the US saw the attacks and a loss of lives directly related to Yemeni government's apparent ineffective action against its own militants which have connections with Al Qaeda. Nevertheless relationship between the two countries has improved since, especially after the recent Yemeni militay campaign against militants in the country. The Yemeni government also pledged to co-operate with US in its war against terrorism. Due to the growing anti-US sentiments in Yemen and the Arab world in general (owing to the war in Iraq) , the Yemeni government chooses to exercise a balanced approach in its relationship with the US in order not to raise the ire of some of its neighbours and its local population.
Security
Security co-operation between Yemen and the US have improved especially after the attacks against US interests in Yemen and generally as part of the US war on terror in the region. Yemen has also been a focus for US strategic efforts due to its strategic location on the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean. As a result the US government has established defence relations between the two countries. Current schemes includes the International Military Education and Training assistance and the commercial transfer of some military spare parts to Yemen. Yemen was also the recipient of USD $1.9 million in Foreign Military Financing in 2003 as part of the American government's plans to assist the Yemeni authorities in their fight against militants.
Economic (trade and aid)
According to statistics from the US government, total of US exports to Yemen for the year 2003 were USD $191 Million (food and live animals, machinery and equipment, chemical) whilst imports from Yemen totaled USD $66 Million (crude oil, coffee, dried and salted fish). In February 2004 Yemen signed an agreement with the US government for commerce and investment promotions in the two countries. This agreement is seen as a first step towards a possible Free Trade Agreement between the two countries in the future.
Yemen is also an aid recipient ($15 million Dollars) from the US government through the USAID agency. According to the organisation, its goal in Yemen is to "support USG foreign policy objectives in the war on terrorism by helping to develop a healthy and educated population with access to diverse economic opportunities". The USAID programme plans to achieve its goals by assisting the Yemeni government in training, creating jobs, increasing income and health and education in five of the country's most vulnerable areas (Amran, Sa'ada, Al-Jawf, Marib and Shabwa). It is interesting to note that the areas specifically chosen for assistance are areas where militants are most present. By: Meir Javedanfar- www.meepas.com Back |
