Topic: 2024-Situation in Yemen
Country: UAE (UNSC)
Delegate Name: Luna Heider
The country of Yemen has long since experienced hardship and turmoil, from political unrest to medical crises, and to international conflict. Disputes about the governing of the country have led to the creation of various political groups, including the predominantly Shiite Houthis, the UN-recognized (mainly Sunni) Yemeni government, and the Southern Transitional Council, or the STC. These groups have garnered support from various external powers, such as Iran allegedly supporting the Houthis and Saudi Arabia supporting the Yemeni government. The Iran-Saudi proxy conflict–said to be a contributing factor to the warring sides–furthers conflict in both Yemen and other Arab countries. Iran and Saudi Arabia have previously supported opposing sides in other regional conflicts, including Syria, Iraq, and Lebanon, in a struggle to win influence in the Middle East. Additionally, the recent targeting of cargo ships in the Red Sea puts the stability of the Middle East, especially Gulf countries, at risk.
We can see that it is not only Yemen that is divided because of differing political interests, but the entire Middle East. Nations supporting and supported by the United States. Britain, and other predominantly “Western” countries have chosen not intervene in Israel’s War on Gaza, sparking outrage from Arabs and people all over the world watching the destruction of Gaza and its civilians, while groups supported by Iran choose to fight back against Israel. This is the result of varying economic and political interests and levels of stability in each Arab country, and has further aggravated tensions in the region, and will likely have a prominent effect on conflict-ridden Yemen. We must promote peace and stability within the Middle East, which cannot be achieved without resolving Yemen’s conflict, and all other regional issues tied back to it.
To resolve this issue before it expands and bleeds into widening regional tensions, we must identify and manage these problems from their source. It is clear that political and religious tensions have been prevalent in Yemen and have been proven extremely difficult to reconcile, and the conflict has raged for almost ten years. The country cannot stand further conflict, as its stability and safety have been worn down almost entirely these recent years. The United Arab Emirates proposes a division of powers throughout the country, so as to satisfy or at least somewhat satiate the desire for control shared by all three political groups. Each political group would govern a region of Yemen, as these different groups already have control of different regions in this conflict, and an overarching Yemeni body of legislation that includes representatives of each political region. This would loosely resemble the system of the United States, with each state having jurisdiction over local and state-wide laws, but falling under overarching federal law, thus preserving the unity of the country. The United Nations would assist in facilitating this compromise. This is in an effort to respect the differences in each political view, as well as to recognize the urgency of preventing any further harm to the nation’s infrastructure, civilians, and overall stability.
