Protecting the vital Bab al Mandab Strait is a shared regional and international obligation that cannot be left to Yemen alone, according to Abdullah al-Alimi, Vice President of the Presidential Leadership Council. Speaking at the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, al-Alimi stated that Houthi attacks on maritime navigation have transformed one of the world's most critical shipping lanes into a tactical instrument for political bargaining.
Al-Alimi warned that the Houthis are utilizing maritime security as a form of blackmail, which he argued is not only a direct threat to Yemen but is effectively holding the global economy hostage. He emphasized that years of conflict have proven that investing in the economic, military, and security capabilities of Yemen’s internationally recognized government serves as a crucial investment in broader international stability.
According to al-Alimi, a secure Red Sea is contingent upon a stable Yemen, a goal that requires the restoration of effective state authority. He asserted that sustainable peace remains impossible as long as an armed militia operates outside the law and above the state. By restoring the Yemeni state, he argued, the region would see a direct contribution to the protection of key maritime corridors.
The Vice President noted that the Yemeni government has engaged positively with international and regional peace initiatives, often making major concessions to alleviate the suffering of the Yemeni people. He accused the Houthi group of responding with intransigence, exploiting humanitarian truces to bolster their military arsenal, and rejecting peace efforts in favor of escalating attacks in the Red Sea and Bab al Mandab to serve an Iranian agenda that contradicts Yemen's national interests.
Al-Alimi further criticized the international community for a lack of a decisive and effective position, which he claimed has emboldened the group. He urged the international community to establish a strategic partnership with Yemen, expressing confidence that the government is capable of ending the threat posed by the Houthis if properly supported.
