Yemen – U.S. Political History

Yemeni-American relations have been Extend to the post-independence of the United States of America from Great Britain in (1776). In spite its appeared to be modern political relations between the two countries, the U.S. attention back to Yemen in 1798, and it was economic dimension as the ship arrived "Recovery" to the port of Mocha, the first American vessel to reach Yemen has returned from her trip loaded with more than 32,600 tons of coffee.

Important Stages of the development of Yemeni-American relations:

April 1945:

United States signed with Yemen the first convention of friendship,” commerce and navigation” after the American Ambassador in Saudi Arabia William Oddy met with Yemeni officials in Sana’a, and this set up the first steps towards the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

April 1946:
The first official visit to Sana’a headed by Colonel William Owen, where he held a meeting with Imam Yahya and signed the treaty of friendship and trade between the two countries followed in May of the same year the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries A resident legation

July 1951:
Opening the first Office of Almutawaklia Kingdom of Yemen in Washington D.C, and the appointment of Mr. Abdul Rahman Abdul Samad Abu Taleb Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary .

March 1959:
Embassy status was opened in Taiz (the capital at the time) on March 16, 1959 and moved to Sana’a in 1966.

December 19, 1962:
United States of America recognized the Yemen Arab Republic and President John Kennedy appointed Ambassador ELZOTH BATKR Special Representative.

December 7, 1967
The United States recognized the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen and elevated its Consulate General in Aden to an Embassy status.

July 24, 1963:
Ambassador Mohsen Al-Ayni submits his credentials to President John Kennedy as the first Ambassador of the Arab Republic of Yemen to the United States of America.

April 10, 1986:
U.S. Vice President George Herbert Walker Bush that time is on his first visit to the Arab Republic of Yemen for two days, he met His Excellency President Ali Abdullah Saleh and gave him an invitation to visit the United States. This visit was the first to a senior U.S. official, was considered an important milestone in bilateral relations.

January 26, 1990:
His Excellency the President of the Republic Ali Abdullah Saleh begins the first official visit to the United States of America where he held political and economic talks with the U.S. administration headed by George Bush 41 President of the United States of America from the Republican Party (1989-1993), It was the first official visit of Yemeni President to the United States and the visit came to promote a new diplomatic approach (the last visit was in April 29,2007). Click here To see president official visits to U.S .