Riyadh hosts an international meeting to support the Yemeni coast guard and secure navigation
The Saudi capital, Riyadh, hosted an important international meeting dedicated to discussing ways to strengthen and support the Yemeni Coast Guard, as part of regional and international efforts to secure vital waterways in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait. This meeting comes in response to the urgent need to enhance the capabilities of Yemeni forces to enable them to fulfill their duties in protecting territorial waters and combating illicit activities.
The importance of timing and strategic context
This international move comes at a time of escalating security challenges in the region, given Yemen's crucial geographic location for global trade. Yemen overlooks the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, one of the world's most important waterways, through which a significant portion of energy supplies and goods pass between Asia and Europe. Years of conflict in Yemen have severely damaged the infrastructure of its coast guard, creating security gaps that have necessitated international intervention to rebuild these capabilities and ensure the safety of international navigation.
Meeting objectives and areas of support
The participants, representing a number of donor countries and international organizations concerned with maritime security, discussed a package of practical measures to support the Yemeni Coast Guard. These measures focus on several key points:
- Providing equipment and boats: Supplying Yemeni forces with modern patrol boats and advanced radar systems to effectively monitor the coasts.
- Training and qualification: Launching specialized training programs for Yemeni personnel in the fields of search and rescue, interception of suspicious vessels, and application of international maritime law.
- Infrastructure rehabilitation: Restoration of ports and command and control centers that were damaged in recent years.
Combating smuggling and security threats
International support focuses primarily on enabling the Yemeni coast guard to combat smuggling operations active in the region, including the trafficking of weapons, drugs, and other illicit goods. These operations are a major source of funding for armed groups and contribute to prolonging the conflict. By strengthening maritime surveillance, the international community aims to cut off illicit funding sources and reduce the flow of weapons that threaten regional security and peace.
Saudi role and international efforts
Riyadh's hosting of this meeting reflects the pivotal role Saudi Arabia plays in leading efforts to restore stability in Yemen and secure the region. The Kingdom, in coordination with international partners such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and the United Nations (through the Office on Drugs and Crime), is working on a comprehensive maritime security strategy to ensure that waterways remain safe and open for global trade, which will positively impact the global economy and the stability of energy markets.
In conclusion, this meeting represents a significant step towards enabling the legitimate Yemeni government to extend its sovereignty over its territorial waters, and it affirms the international community’s commitment to supporting Yemeni state institutions to restore their active role in the region’s security system.
