Yemen Monitor / Riyadh / Exclusive:
The United Kingdom announced on Tuesday the launch of a new international coalition aimed at training and qualifying the Yemeni Coast Guard forces affiliated with the internationally recognized government.
This move comes within the framework of intensive Western efforts to enhance maritime security in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandeb Strait, and to enable Yemeni forces to assert their sovereignty and secure their territorial waters amidst escalating tensions in the region.
The UK’s Ambassador to Yemen, Abda Sharif, chaired the first meeting of the group, which aims to support the Yemeni Coast Guard in securing international waters, combating the smuggling of weapons and drugs, and curbing “unsafe” migration.
The coalition includes the UK in partnership with the EU, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the US, and Japan.
This coalition will serve as the steering committee for the “Yemen Maritime Security Partnership,” a Saudi-British initiative established last September to train Coast Guard forces.
According to the British government’s announcement, the initiative primarily aims to bridge gaps in the human and technical capabilities of the Yemeni Coast Guard, whose infrastructure has been severely damaged by the ongoing war of more than a decade.
The new coalition will focus on providing a comprehensive package of specialized training programs, logistical support, and necessary strategic consultations to enhance the efficiency of security personnel in protecting the coasts and ports under the control of the legitimate government.
Despite the halt of Red Sea operations by the Houthis, the US-led coalition, Operation Prosperity Guardian, and the European military operation “ASPIDES,” which were deployed in 2024 to secure the Red Sea, continue to conduct patrols in the region.
Through this move, London seeks to enable the Yemeni government to play a greater and more effective role in combating illicit smuggling operations, particularly the smuggling of weapons and drugs, which are among the primary sources fueling the internal conflict and destabilizing the region.
The program also aims to enhance security oversight of international shipping lanes, which have faced persistent threats and repeated attacks over the past two years, especially by the Houthi group, jeopardizing the safety of global commercial shipping.
Building strong, professional security institutions capable of protecting maritime borders is seen as an essential part of any future sustainable security arrangements or political settlement in Yemen.
The Yemeni Coast Guard sector has suffered systematic destruction and a severe lack of capabilities since the outbreak of the war, leaving Yemen’s coastline, which stretches for over 2,000 kilometers, vulnerable to breaches and active smuggling operations. These have been exploited by the Houthi group to enhance its military arsenal through ports and unmonitored landing points.
The British move holds strategic importance, given the UK’s role as the “penholder” on the Yemen file at the UN Security Council, and Yemen’s geopolitical position controlling the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, one of the world’s most crucial energy and trade corridors.
