It is worth noting that official relations between Yemen and the United States date back to the 1940s, and they are characterized as warm, cooperative, and respectful. The United States was one of the first governments to recognize and to establish diplomatic relations with the nascent North Yemen in 1946; and the US also initially engaged ties in South Yemen in 1967. On May 22, 1990 North Yemen and South Yemen united to form one country, the Republic of Yemen. Over the years, both prior to and after unification, US-Yemeni relations have continued to evolve positively and to deepen amicably. They have included high level official visits on a bipartisan level from various US Administrations – including from the Honorable George H.W. Bush (as Vice-President) in 1986; to the Honorable Hillary Clinton (as Secretary of State) in 2011. There have also been numerous and bipartisan Congressional Delegations that have visited Yemen.
Over these years, the Embassy of Yemen in Washington, DC has worked to strengthen its relations with the US Congress to help solidify mutual understanding and cooperation, to facilitate in acquiring US development aid and security related assistance – and in realizing shared political, military and commercial national interests between both countries. The CAO deeply appreciates its interactions with the various offices of Members of Congress that have established relations with the Embassy and we welcome the opportunity to expand our friendship with all Members of Congress to broaden our mutually beneficial partnership with the US Government.
The current Yemeni Government is fully engaged with the new Administration of President Donald J. Trump, and it is continuing its outreach and sustaining its communications with the US Congress through its Embassy in Washington, DC to bolster existing ties, to forge new links and to further deepen US-Yemen bilateral relations.
The Embassy of Yemen has also shed more light to the US Congress on the Human Rights situation in Yemen with a particular focus on the various and vicious abuses, crimes, transgressions, and wrongdoings that have been previously reported on (though not appreciated enough) perpetrated by the Houthis against the people of Yemen. Important reports from the Yemeni Coalition for Monitoring Human Rights Violations (www.ycmhrv.org, which is based in Yemen) were recently disseminated to the US Congress which provided thorough documented accounts and an exhaustive exposition regarding human rights violations committed by the Houthis.
The CAO continues with its substantial efforts to outreach, observe and organize the appropriate activity directly and/or with the Office of His Excellency the Ambassador to raise the profile of Yemen in the US Congress so that any general or specific issue, concern, or matter is constructively addressed favorably for Yemen and its people.