Georgetown Student’s Original Research on Yemen Uncovers Factors for a Stable Future

At a CIRS Lunch Talk on April 3, 2019, student Mohammed Al-Jaberi (SFS’19), presented a summary of his thesis titled “The Marib Puzzle: A Case of Stability and Economic Activity in War-torn Yemen” in which he asks why the Yemeni city of Marib enjoys more stability and economic activity as compared to the temporary capital of Aden.

In his presentation he drew comparisons between the two regions in terms of stability; focusing on three indicators of the absence of local conflicts, sustainable access to public goods and service, as well as the resilience of the local government. Additionally, he examines the economic performances in the two regions, rejecting the notion of war economies existing in the margins outside the bounds of the state as predatory activities, and parasitic and illicit dealings. This, he said, can be explained in better terms, in the case of the two regions, by measuring the impact of commerce in the private sector and the injection of cash by the Saudi-led coalition states into the Marib and Aden regions. 

Al-Jabri reminded the audience of the reasons behind the current tragic situation in Yemen, including the failed transition process after the 2011 Arab uprisings in Yemen, the disregard for the country’s historical issues, and the limited visibility of Yemen on the international scene.

The joint degree candidate for a B.S. in Foreign Service (Class of 2019) and an M.A. in Arab Studies (Class of 2020) from Georgetown, conducted recent field work in Yemen to explore the topic, managing to interview two dozen influential Yemenis representing the full political spectrum.

Comparing the roles of UAE and Saudi Arabia and how they impact the economic activity in the country since, he said :  “The Saudis are keen on maintaining a unified Yemen in order to restrain the influence of the Zaidi Shia influence, they have been resorting to the old-fashioned method of handing out cash to buy loyalty. While the UAE are more ambitious, more aggressive, and don’t care about the particularity of the political system in the future of Yemen. They have a major military presence in the south, and they tolerate the Internationally recognized government and support those calling for self-determination and separatism.”

Concluding, Al-Jaberi indicated that patronage networks and the roles of both Saudi Arabia and UAE directly affect stability as well as economic activity on a regional level in Aden and Marib.