Yemen's Foreign Minister: Our Country Will Not Serve as a Platform to Threaten Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, or Any Sister Nation

- We will not accept our land, ports, or waters being used as leverage in regional conflicts. Cooperation between our two countries covers vital sectors such as energy, electricity, health, education, roads, water, and vocational training. The Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development represents one of Yemen’s oldest and most important development partners.

Yemen’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Dr. Afrah Abdulaziz Al-Zoba, affirmed that Kuwait is a historical partner for Yemen, and that the relationship between the two countries is not confined to the war context or aid alone. Rather, it is built on a substantial record of political stances, mediation, developmental and humanitarian support, and cultural and people-to-people ties, spanning more than six decades of official relations and preceded by older bonds between the two brotherly peoples.

In an extensive interview with media representatives in Kuwait, Al-Zoba stated that her visit aims to build on this record and elevate it to a more regular and effective stage based on political consultation, activation of agreements and cooperation frameworks, and expansion of partnership in development, recovery, and capacity building. She emphasized that “the best way to honor the history of Yemeni-Kuwaiti relations is to add new results that people can see in functioning services, completed projects, restored institutional capacity, and sustained political cooperation beyond the duration of the visit.”

She noted that her discussions with Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Jaraah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah covered bilateral relations, developments in Yemen and the region, and issues of mutual interest. Both sides stressed the importance of reviewing, updating, and reactivating agreements, memoranda of understanding, and cooperation frameworks concluded between the two countries, as well as enhancing political consultations and diplomatic, economic, developmental, and capacity-building cooperation, thereby transforming the depth of the historical relationship into actionable and follow-up-oriented pathways.

**The Legacy of Kuwaiti Mediation**

Al-Zoba praised what she described as the entrenched legacy of Kuwaiti diplomacy in supporting dialogue and de-escalation, noting that Kuwait’s engagement on the Yemen file predates the current crisis by decades, from mediation efforts between the two halves of Yemen in the 1970s to hosting the 2016 Yemeni political consultations.

She affirmed that Kuwait’s hosting of the 2016 consultations will remain a milestone appreciated by Yemenis, for providing a serious space for dialogue and reflecting a commitment to national unity, bridging differences, and supporting Yemen’s unity, security, and stability. She added that any political agreement must, from the outset, include clear implementation arrangements and state institutions capable of protecting agreed-upon outcomes and preventing a return to imposing facts on the ground by force.

**The Kuwait Fund**

On the developmental front, the Foreign Minister emphasized that the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development is one of Yemen’s oldest and most important development partners. She noted that the value of its experience is measured not only by the volume of financing but also by the continuity of the relationship and its ability to adapt to the difficult conditions the country has endured.

She clarified that cooperation covers vital sectors such as energy, electricity, health, education, roads, water, and vocational training. The government looks forward to building on existing projects, rehabilitating suspended ones, and expanding into new commitments in a manner that delivers faster impact and safeguards previous investments.

She noted that the maintenance of the Marib gas station, supported by Kuwait, is an example of strategic projects whose impact can directly affect services and the state’s capacity.

Recovery and restoration of services

Regarding Yemen’s needs and the cost of reconstruction, Al-Zoubi stated that the priority at the current stage is not to release large figures before assessments are completed, but rather to restore political and security stability, strengthen the capacity of state institutions, restore basic services, and create an environment that makes any new funding viable and sustainable.

She clarified that sectors such as electricity, water, health, education, roads, infrastructure, capacity building, and job creation top the priorities, alongside the gradual transition from emergency response to recovery and development. She added, “Yemen needs humanitarian aid, yes, but it also needs hospitals to regain their capacity, the electricity grid to function, schools and roads to improve, and government institutions to regain their ability to serve citizens.”

Kuwaiti investment: Promising opportunities

Regarding investment, the minister emphasized that Yemen has significant opportunities in energy, water desalination, fisheries, transport, services, and other sectors, and that the government is working to develop partnerships with the private sector and improve regulatory frameworks for investment.

She said that Kuwaiti capital possesses experience and a regional presence that could play an important role in the recovery and reconstruction phase. However, she stressed that serious discussions about investment must be accompanied by improvements in stability, governance, guarantees, and project clarity, adding, “The more the state regains its institutions, decision-making authority, and resources, the more capable the environment becomes at attracting and protecting investment.”

Yemen’s stability is part of Gulf security

Regarding the link between the Yemen file and Gulf security, Al-Zoubi affirmed that the issue is no longer merely a political description, but a reality imposed by geography and experience.

Yemen constitutes the southern extension of the Gulf region, bordering the Red Sea, the Bab al-Mandab strait, and the Gulf of Aden, which are key nodes in international trade, energy, and maritime navigation.

The Houthi escalation transcends internal affairs

In her assessment of the recent escalation, Al-Zoba stated that the actions of the so-called Houthi terrorist militia represent an extension of their coup against state institutions and an attempt to impose facts on the ground by force. However, this has long since surpassed the boundaries of internal conflict, as it targets cities, facilities, ports, and maritime navigation, while threatening neighboring countries and sea lanes.

She emphasized that Iranian military and technical support, along with smuggling networks, have contributed to developing the militia’s capabilities and raising the level of threat it poses. She stressed that addressing this threat requires a broader approach than merely protecting ships at sea, one that begins with supporting the Yemeni state in controlling its coastlines, ports, and resources, and combating smuggling and illicit financing networks.

Full solidarity with Kuwait and GCC states

On regional matters, the Foreign Minister reiterated the Yemeni Republic’s condemnation of Iranian attacks targeting Kuwait and several Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. She affirmed Yemen’s full solidarity with its brothers and rejected any violation of the sovereignty of regional states or threats to their security and stability.

She stated that Yemen’s position is based on clear principles: respect for state sovereignty, good neighborliness, non-interference in internal affairs, and the settlement of disputes through peaceful means. She stressed that the security of Gulf states is interconnected, and that protecting regional stability requires comprehensive stances against direct aggression and against the use of armed groups to impose cross-border facts.

Pressure on Iran

In response to a question on whether pressure on Iran would automatically lead to a reduction in the Houthi militia’s capabilities, Al-Zoba noted that external support is a fundamental element in developing the militia’s military capabilities. However, reducing the problem to external funding does not provide a complete solution.

She clarified that during their years of control, the Houthis have built a war economy, internal funding sources, smuggling networks, and taxation systems. Therefore, a sustainable solution requires, in addition to halting external support, the state’s restoration of its resources and ports, the combating of smuggling and illicit financing networks, and preventing the use of the national economy to finance a military project outside state institutions.

A message to Kuwait

In conclusion, the Foreign Minister emphasized that Kuwait holds a prominent place in the hearts of Yemenis, and its impact in Yemen is not merely a diplomatic record or political memory, but a tangible presence in the lives of entire generations.

She said: “We appreciate the fraternal positions, as well as the political, developmental, and humanitarian support provided by the State of Kuwait, its leadership, government, and people. We look forward to cooperation between our two countries being an extension of this legacy, advancing it to a new stage of practical outcomes.”

She added: “We want the new Yemeni generation to see a new Kuwaiti impact, just as previous generations saw schools, hospitals, roads, and projects. And we want Kuwaitis to see in Yemen a state that is regaining its capacity, a partner that protects its southern gateway and sea lanes, and contributes to the security, stability, and prosperity of the Gulf. A stable Yemen, with a capable state and effective institutions, will not be a burden on its surroundings; it will be a partner within them, as geography dictates and history requires.”