Who Leads Yemen?

Leadership

Rashad al-Alimi

Chairman of Yemen

Political Party

GPC

Inaugurated

Apr 7, 2022

Term Ends

TBD

Next Election

TBD

Born

1954 in Taiz, Yemen

Country Population

34M

Continent

Asia

Rashad al-Alimi chairs the Presidential Leadership Council established in April 2022 to unify the anti-Houthi camp. A former interior minister, he leads a council of eight members representing various Yemeni factions. His government operates from Aden and controls parts of southern and eastern Yemen, while Houthi rebels control the capital Sanaa and much of the north.

Government

Capital

Sanaa (de jure) / Aden (temporary)

Official Language(s)

Arabic

Currency

Yemeni Rial (YER)

Government Type

Presidential Council

Area

527,968 km²

Yemen is a Middle Eastern country at the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula. It has been devastated by civil war since 2014 between the internationally recognized government and Houthi rebels backed by Iran. The conflict has created one of the world's worst humanitarian crises. Yemen has a rich ancient history and is home to the stunning mud-brick architecture of Shibam and the island of Socotra.

Yemen is divided between competing factions. The Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), recognized internationally as Yemen's legitimate government, is an eight-member body formed in April 2022. Rashad al-Alimi chairs the PLC and is the internationally recognized head of state. The PLC controls the south, with Aden as its de facto capital. The Houthi movement (Ansar Allah), backed by Iran, controls Sanaa, most of the north, and Hodeidah port. Saudi Arabia led a military coalition that began intervention in March 2015. UN-mediated talks have produced occasional ceasefires but no political resolution. The Houthi Red Sea attacks (beginning November 2023 in response to Israel's Gaza operation) added a new international dimension to the conflict.

Economic Snapshot

GDP

$21.6B (est.)

GDP Per Capita

$650 (est.)

Income Group

Low income

Trade Balance

Large deficit (aid-dependent; imports essential goods)

Inflation

Extremely high and variable; estimated 50%+ annually in conflict period

Yemen was one of the Arab world's poorest countries even before the current conflict. Unlike its oil-rich Gulf neighbors, Yemen's oil reserves were modest and declining; it never built the sovereign wealth or infrastructure that petroleum revenues enabled elsewhere. Yemen's political challenges, including tribal fragmentation, water scarcity, and the presence of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), predated the current civil war. The 2011 Arab Spring produced a transition from longtime President Ali Abdullah Saleh to his deputy Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi. But the Houthi movement (Ansar Allah), a Zaydi Shia movement from northern Yemen, had been fighting the government since 2004. Capitalizing on the transition's chaos and forming a tactical alliance with ex-president Saleh (later killed by the Houthis in 2017), the Houthis captured Sanaa in 2014 and effectively took over northern Yemen. The Saudi-led coalition intervention in March 2015 failed to dislodge them. The Red Sea attacks represent the Houthis' most internationally consequential action. Beginning in November 2023, the Houthis attacked ships with connections to Israel, the United States, and the United Kingdom in the Red Sea, citing Gaza solidarity. The attacks forced shipping companies to reroute around the Cape of Good Hope (adding approximately 10 days to journeys between Asia and Europe), caused global container shipping rates to surge dramatically, and prompted U.S. and UK military strikes against Houthi infrastructure. The Houthis presented the attacks as anti-Israel resistance, gaining significant popularity in parts of the Arab world. The attacks continued through 2024-2025 with limited military effectiveness against the Houthis.

Major Industries

• Oil & Gas (declining; offshore Red Sea and Marib fields; severely impacted by conflict)
• Fishing
• Qat (khat) cultivation (narcotic stimulant leaf; major domestic crop)
• Agriculture (sorghum, millet, dates)
• Remittances (from Yemeni diaspora abroad)

Yemen is known for: Yemen was one of the poorest Arab countries before the conflict escalation; it had significant oil production that has largely stopped due to fighting. Yemen is famous for Mocha coffee (the world's most historically significant coffee variety, named after the Yemeni port of Mocha; all coffee derives ultimately from Yemeni and Ethiopian cultivation). Yemen also has some of the world's most distinctive architectural heritage, including the mud-brick skyscrapers of Shibam (the 'Manhattan of the Desert') and the historic walled city of Sana'a.

Trade Profile

Yemen runs a very large trade deficit, importing approximately 90% of its food, most of its fuel, and significant quantities of humanitarian aid. Oil revenues, which once partially offset import needs, have largely dried up due to fighting. Yemen is heavily dependent on international humanitarian aid, diaspora remittances, and fuel imports from UN-arranged humanitarian access agreements.

Top Exports

• Oil & condensate (severely reduced)
• Coffee (premium mocha; small volumes)
• Fish
• Agricultural products

Top Imports

• Food (90% of food is imported)
• Petroleum products
• Humanitarian aid
• Medicines
• Consumer goods

Export Destinations

• China
• India
• Saudi Arabia

Import Partners

• China
• UAE
• India
• Saudi Arabia

The world depends on Yemen for: Nothing substantial economically, but Bab el-Mandeb geographic position (approximately 15% of global trade passes through this strait)

Yemen depends on the world for: Food (90% imported), petroleum, medicines, and humanitarian assistance

Global Role

Yemen's global significance since 2023 has been defined by Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping (affecting global supply chains), the Iran-Houthi connection in the 'Axis of Resistance,' the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe (8+ million facing famine), and the Saudi-led coalition intervention that has failed to resolve the conflict.

• Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping (November 2023 onward) disrupted approximately 12-15% of global maritime trade, forcing rerouting around Africa and causing significant insurance and shipping cost increases
• The UN has repeatedly described Yemen as experiencing one of the world's worst humanitarian crises: approximately 21 million people need humanitarian assistance
• Approximately 150,000-377,000 people have been killed (directly and indirectly) in the Yemen conflict since 2015 escalation
• Yemen is the original source of coffee cultivation; all Arabica coffee worldwide traces to Yemeni and Ethiopian origins
• The walled city of Sanaa (UNESCO World Heritage) and Shibam's mud-brick towers (UNESCO 'Manhattan of the Desert') are among the world's most distinctive architectural heritages
• Saudi Arabia's military intervention (Operation Decisive Storm, March 2015) failed to defeat the Houthis and became a significant reputational liability for Saudi Arabia
• The Iran-Houthi relationship has made Yemen a front in the broader Iran-Saudi Arabia and Iran-Israel regional proxy conflict

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is the recognized leader of Yemen?

Rashad al-Alimi chairs the Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), Yemen's internationally recognized governing body. The PLC was formed in April 2022 to replace President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi. The PLC controls the south and is recognized by the UN and most countries. The Houthi movement (Ansar Allah) controls Sanaa and the north and is not internationally recognized as Yemen's government.

Why are the Houthis attacking Red Sea shipping?

The Houthis began attacking ships in the Red Sea in November 2023, citing solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza during Israel's military operation. They targeted ships they said had Israeli connections, then expanded to attack U.S. and UK-linked vessels after those countries conducted airstrikes against Houthi military targets. The attacks forced significant global shipping rerouting around Africa, causing supply chain disruptions and insurance cost increases. The Houthis have used the attacks for domestic and regional legitimacy as 'defenders of Palestine.'

What is Yemen's humanitarian situation?

Yemen has experienced one of the world's worst humanitarian crises during its decade of civil war. The UN World Food Programme estimates approximately 21 million Yemenis need humanitarian assistance. Approximately 17 million face acute food insecurity. The health system has largely collapsed. Infrastructure including water systems, hospitals, and schools has been destroyed. An estimated 150,000-377,000 people have been killed since the 2015 escalation, including many from indirect causes like disease and malnutrition.

Related Countries

• Saudi Arabia: Led the military coalition against Houthis since 2015; sought ceasefire through China-brokered Saudi-Iran deal
• Iran: Backs the Houthis with weapons, training, and intelligence; Iran-Saudi proxy war dimension
• United States: Conducted military strikes against Houthis after Red Sea shipping attacks
• Israel: Houthi attacks on shipping are framed as Gaza solidarity; Houthis fired ballistic missiles at Israel
• Oman: Shares the Arabian Peninsula; significant mediator in Yemen talks
• United Arab Emirates: Member of Saudi-led coalition until 2019 withdrawal; backs Southern Transitional Council