The Ongoing Conflict In Yemen And How Uae Can Mitigate It (Essay Sample)

CONFLICT IN YEMEN
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Yemen is a state that has barely experienced stability like other nations. The conflicts in Yemen are partly internal and partly proxy wars which result from disagreements between other neighboring countries like Saudi and Iran or Saudi and Egypt. These feuds are fueled by different reasons among them, hunger for political power, economic power, and even religious differences. Resultantly, insecurity threats in the UAE have been a subject that has faced discussion for a long time now. Terrorism practices have risen greatly in the UAE due to the differences mentioned above, and this has also seen into the world insecurity, for instance, the religious turmoil in Somalia which has brought forth the death of many people. However, Yemen itself as a nation has resolved to use dialogue as a means to solve conflicts within the state. In an attempt to reinforce peace within the Arab world, UAE has come up with measures to curb the security threats resulting from the instability and the differences between the Arab states. This document discusses the various potential security threats in the UAE, what the UAE is doing to ensure that the security threats do not occur within the state and the recommendations that UAE should consider in its attempt to suppress the threats.
Potential Security Threats on the UAE
There might be several factors for security threats in the Arab world, but there are the main elements which are a threat to safety to greater levels. Political struggles, economic factor and the differences in religious alignment can be given consideration as the main factors that have contributed to insecurity threats over an extended period now in the Arab world.
Economic deterioration is currently playing a significant role in the instability in Yemen. Apparently, the state is ranked one of the poorest nations in the world as per report that was given by the World Bank. The poor economic state has largely been brought about by the poor farming techniques used by most farmers which have caused the depletion of natural aquifers resulting into water shortages. Consequently, a lot of funds are regularly spent in countering this water crisis; these funds can be used in other areas of development rather than spending a whole lot in only curbing a single problem. Moreover, corruption within the government officials has made it difficult for the creation of jobs opportunities and to diversify the economy. Despite its economic state the population growth rate in this country is rising rapidly and this is not a satisfactory progress for a country having an expectation to develop in different sectors. The fact that the population will be high while the economy has collapsed will only mean that there will be a big number of jobless individuals, and this might considerably contribute to unruly behavior and incidences like robbery, drug use among other illegal practices. These economic problems have resulted in tension between the government and the citizens which gives the foundation for antigovernment organizations and radicalization.
Politically, there has been a raging civil war caused by forces in support of the President Mansour Hadi and the Houthis, who pressurized the fleeing of the president. The al-Qaeda have also taken the advantage of this division in the state government to organize deadly attacks since they are in support of neither sides. On the other hand, Yemen could also be affected by the regional power struggle between Iran and Saudi Arabia which are bound by a long border with Yemen. From the news released by BBC, the Gulf Arab states have been suspected to be supporting the Houthis both financially and militarily. The fight over regional power over Yemen is major because of its strategic location on the narrow waterway bridging the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. It is this waterway through which much of the world's oil shipments gain passage.
Another struggle for regional power is between Egypt and Saudi Arabia, who are scared that if the Houthi take over power, then their passage through the strait would be doomed. The two factions have then been under tension with each other as both of them are in a hurry and yawning to out beat the other to take control of the Yemen border. The internal wars in Yemen have mainly resulted from the unequal access to power and resources. There have been successive uprisings by the Houthis in the North against the government opposition in the south, the frequent ambush by al-Qaeda and struggle for power between tribal and military groups. Previously, Yemen was a two country state, but an agreement was met to unify the two states of Yemen Arab Republic in the north and the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen in the south. After a while, the Southerners started laying claims of unequal resource distribution and waged a civil war in an attempt to reverse the agreement of unification in which they did not succeed. Over years, the effect of the civil war is felt over and over again as there is massive displacement, destruction to infrastructure, depletion of resources among other effects which together have been a hindrance to the development of the state.
In the religion context, there exists a rift between the Sunni and the Shia. This breach dates back to a division that escalated due to a dispute about Prophet Mohammed's successor. The Shia believed that Mohammed’s cousin should have taken his place upon his demise while the Sunnis backed the idea of picking Muhammed's closest friend Abu Bakr as the first Caliph of the Islamic nation. Another evidence of religious conflict is the al-Qaeda group which is a religious organization that has masterminded several bombings and assassinations. These acts are done following the orders given by the sheiks who believe in the ideology of jihad.
What UAE is doing to Ensure Threat Do Not Occur within the State.
UAE has been of help financially to Yemen over a period. The funds offered by the UAE are provided for the purpose of restoring peace and stability to the state. The restoration of peace is ensured by taking measures such as the provision of a conducive environment to attract investors, creating job opportunities, bring back the Yemenis who fled the country due to instability. All these measures aim at improving the already loose-hanging economy of Yemen.
UAE is also giving a military hand to Yemen in fighting the rebellion the Houthis are causing to ensure the Arabian Gulf's security which is under threat from the uprising. This decision was put into practice after it became evident that dialogue to prevent the rebellion by the Houthis could not work, the UAE, therefore, deployed warplanes and other military equipment to aid in the fight against the uprising.
The Recommendations of What the UAE Should Do, Which May Have Not Been Done.
The UAE should give support to the refugees by providing them with education, psychological assistance and engaging them in the job market. Through education, the refugees can be informed of the impending danger of frequent conflicts, and this can help in reducing the tension that might result from the urge to carry out revenge for losing their life before. Psychologically, they can be assisted to overcome the trauma that they might be undergoing as a result of the war, for instance, the loss of their loved ones which might make them join organizations like al-Qaeda. Providing them with jobs is also a key measure that ensures that they are always engaged in productive practices so that they do not engage in the war.
The UAE can also aid in the setting up programs concerned with engaging the youth in the attempt to bring forth the idea of social cohesion in the region. Youths are the elements of change in the current world, and a keen observation was done in the apparently ongoing war in Yemen, the youths are the majority who are participating in it, and they are used by the leaders to achieve their selfish motives such as power gain. Using the young people in the peacekeeping missions would give a significant hand in the escalation of the conflict. To do this, they must be informed of the benefits of peace which they might not have experienced resulting from the reason that Yemen has always been under war over several years.
Conclusion
Other states in the Arab world might not be directly affected by the war in Yemen, but the effect can be either directly or indirectly. Take for instance the case of refugees from Yemen settling in this states. They pose a risk as these refugees are the ones who set up military bases to start and plan the terrorist activities, and ...