Yemen: Current Conditions and U.S. Relations
Abstract
Yemen, the only republic on the Arabian Peninsula, is the poorest country in that area. A presidential election deemed relatively fair was held in 2006 with President Ali Abdullah Salih winning reelection with 77% of the popular vote. Nevertheless, democratic institutions remain fragile. This report summarizes Yemen's domestic situation, foreign relations, and ties with the United States. It will be updated as significant developments occur. U.S.-Yemeni relations have generally been good, though marred occasionally by differences over Iraq and the Arab-Israeli conflict. U.S. officials have welcomed Yemen's support for the war on terrorism since September 11, 2001; however, because the Yemeni populace is ambivalent about any Western military presence, the Yemeni government tends to downplay U.S.-Yemeni military and intelligence ties. The U.S. government has modestly increased aid for Yemen, which had virtually ended in the late 1990s. In 2003, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) reopened its mission in Yemen after a hiatus of seven years. Over the past several fiscal years, Yemen has received on average between $20 and $25 million in total U.S. foreign aid. For FY2008, the Administration has requested a total of $23 million in assistance for Yemen. Approximately half of this assistance would go toward military and intelligence cooperation.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 12, 2007
- Accession Number
- ADA471821
Entities
People
- Jeremy M. Sharp
Organizations
- Library of Congress