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Governmental, International Strategies to Address Food Insecurity in Yemen

UN aid distributed to Yemeni displaced citizens in Hajjah (AFP)
UN aid distributed to Yemeni displaced citizens in Hajjah (AFP)
    Aden - Waddah Aljaleel
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Governmental, International Strategies to Address Food Insecurity in Yemen

UN aid distributed to Yemeni displaced citizens in Hajjah (AFP)
UN aid distributed to Yemeni displaced citizens in Hajjah (AFP)

The Yemeni government, in cooperation with international organizations, is seeking to build alliances and strategies to confront the growing threat of food insecurity in the country.

The authorities began discussions on the "Livelihoods and Improving Resilience in Rural Areas" program, adopted by the UN Development Program (UNDP), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the European Union, and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA).

The program targets nearly one million Yemeni citizens in the agricultural sector in seven governorates.

The Minister of Planning and International Cooperation, Waed Bathib, said the program represents a distinguished model for three-dimensional projects that combine humanitarian support and development work.

Bathib also noted that it contributes to developing livelihoods and providing job opportunities for farmers, raising the productivity of the agricultural sector, and empowering youth and women.

It supports sustainable development, especially in the agricultural sector, food security, and value chains, and responds to limiting the repercussions of crises in the farming industry, climate changes, and resisting economic shocks.

The World Food Program recently stated that food insecurity in Yemen still exists despite the increase in fuel and food imports to Hodeidah ports over the past year, hinting at the failure of the Houthi militia to fulfill its obligations to pay public servants' wages per the UN armistice.

The report warned that food insecurity is concerning nationwide, and adequate food consumption remained beyond reach for 53 percent of the surveyed families under government control, compared to 47 percent under Houthi control.

In cooperation with the UN and its affiliated organizations, the government is trying to boost efforts to confront the growing food crisis and the economic situation.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Local Administration for Relief Affairs, General Coordinator of the Higher Committee for Relief, Jamal Balfakih, stated that the Yemeni government is seeking to mobilize efforts with donor countries to increase support for the response plan.

Balfakih told Asharq Al-Awsat that the steadfastness of Yemeni society depends on the continuous support of the coalition supporting legitimacy led by Saudi Arabia.

He explained that the war and Chapter VII of the UN Charter made it dependent on humanitarian aid.

The official noted that the long war led to the most significant internal displacement in Yemen and resulted in a major demographic change and pressure on services in the host provinces.

A source at the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation told Asharq Al-Awsat that the government and the special committee for improvement are in permanent session.

He indicated that they are exerting efforts to assess the situation of food security in Yemen, set the requirements to face food shortage, find appropriate solutions and remedies, and create networks to support the plans and projects agreed upon with the UN and its bodies.

The source, who asked not to be named because he was not authorized to speak to the media, added that the government also began implementing the policy of exempting basic materials from customs duties and taxes.

Furthermore, the Professor of Economics at Taiz University, Mohammad Qahtan, believes that there is an urgent need to reform the salary and wages system or take effective financial and monetary policies to restore the Yemeni riyal's value against the dollar.

Qahtan told Asharq Al-Awsat that although public servants in the liberated areas receive their salaries regularly, the wages have lost over 80 percent of their value following the drop in the exchange rate.

He explained that the deterioration of living conditions is due to the division between the Central Bank of Yemen and the banking system between Sanaa and Aden and the subsequent differences in the purchasing value of the local currency in its old and new editions.

The expert warned that this led to a massive rise in unemployment and poverty rates throughout Yemen and major collapses in various fields.

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Arab World

US Bill Proposes Agricultural and Mining Partnership with Sudan

A Sudanese farmer collects gum arabic in the western city of Al-Nuhud. The commodity is among the resources covered by the proposed US legislation (Reuters). 
A Sudanese farmer collects gum arabic in the western city of Al-Nuhud. The commodity is among the resources covered by the proposed US legislation (Reuters). 
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US Bill Proposes Agricultural and Mining Partnership with Sudan

A Sudanese farmer collects gum arabic in the western city of Al-Nuhud. The commodity is among the resources covered by the proposed US legislation (Reuters). 
A Sudanese farmer collects gum arabic in the western city of Al-Nuhud. The commodity is among the resources covered by the proposed US legislation (Reuters). 

A Republican member of the US House of Representatives has introduced legislation proposing an economic partnership with Sudan that would exchange Sudanese mineral and natural resources for American technology, equipment and expertise in agriculture and mining.

The initiative ties future economic cooperation to tangible progress in protecting civilians, establishing political stability and securing legitimate civilian-led governance in Sudan.

Introduced on October 13 by Rep. Jim Baird of Indiana, the proposal highlights US interest in Sudan’s natural wealth, particularly minerals used in modern industries. However, it sets political and security conditions for turning that interest into a partnership in a country devastated by war between the army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) since April 2023.

The legislation is titled the Sudan Investing in Minerals, Partnership, Agriculture, Commerce, and Trade Act, or Sudan IMPACT Act. It has been referred to the House Foreign Affairs Committee for consideration.

Minerals in exchange for technology

The bill proposes establishing a United States-Sudan Agriculture and Minerals Partnership under which Washington would provide modern agricultural machinery, precision farming and irrigation technologies, and agricultural processing equipment.

It also envisages cooperation in mining technology, geological surveying, mine safety improvements and environmental remediation.

In return, under arrangements to be negotiated, the United States would gain access to Sudanese resources specified in the legislation, including gold, uranium, copper, chromium, iron, manganese, zinc, nickel and silver, as well as crude oil and gum arabic.

The range of resources underscores that the initiative extends beyond gold, one of Sudan’s main sources of foreign currency, to materials used in manufacturing, technology and supply chains, alongside commercially important agricultural products.

In a statement issued by his office, Baird noted that Sudan’s mineral resources could help expand supplies of materials used in everyday American technologies, including phones and cars, while creating economic opportunities for Sudanese citizens.

He also warned that the war was devastating lives and undermining Sudan’s future, stressing that civilian protection must come before expanded economic cooperation.

Civilian rule as a prerequisite

The legislation contains political conditions that go beyond the congressman’s brief announcement.

Section 2 outlines a proposed partnership with Sudan under a legitimate civilian-led governing authority that has made substantial progress in reducing violence against civilians.

Section 3 goes further, barring the establishment of the partnership until the US secretary of state determines that Sudan’s civilian-led authorities have taken sufficient steps to achieve measurable improvements in three areas: civilian protection, political stability and responsible governance of natural resources.

The bill also requires the agreement of the relevant Sudanese authorities in a civilian-led government before cooperation arrangements can proceed.

Its introduction therefore creates no automatic obligations for Khartoum and grants Washington no immediate rights to exploit Sudanese resources.

The conditions give the initiative a clear political dimension, making a transition to legitimate civilian rule and improved civilian protection potential gateways to broader economic relations with the United States.

However, the proposal does not outline a detailed model for political transition or establish a timetable for forming a civilian government. Nor does it constitute an agreement with Sudanese authorities at this stage.

Gold at the center of economic calculations

The initiative comes as gold assumes growing importance in Sudan’s economy, following a war that has disrupted major productive sectors, weakened public revenues and deepened the country’s foreign currency crisis.

According to figures cited by Business Insider Africa from London-based Metals Focus and the World Gold Council, Sudan produced approximately 74.6 metric tons of gold in 2025, ranking fifth in Africa.

Yet the metal’s significance extends beyond production volumes. The conflict has raised mounting questions about gold smuggling networks, export routes and how much of the revenue reaches the state, amid competing control over mining and trading areas.

Against this backdrop, the bill’s requirement for responsible resource governance carries particular significance.

It links potential US cooperation not only to continued production but also to who manages the resources, how revenues are controlled and whether accountable institutions can be established.

A long legislative process

Despite its political and economic implications, the proposal remains at an early legislative stage, having been referred to the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

For the bill to become law, it must complete the congressional process, including approval by both the House of Representatives and the Senate, before being signed by the US president.

 

 

Arab World

Iraqi Deputy Oil Minister Named as Witness in Corruption Trial

A photo released by Iraq’s judiciary shows Judge Faiq Zidan (second from left) inspecting gold bars seized in connection with the case of detained suspect Adnan al-Jumaili. 
A photo released by Iraq’s judiciary shows Judge Faiq Zidan (second from left) inspecting gold bars seized in connection with the case of detained suspect Adnan al-Jumaili. 
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Iraqi Deputy Oil Minister Named as Witness in Corruption Trial

A photo released by Iraq’s judiciary shows Judge Faiq Zidan (second from left) inspecting gold bars seized in connection with the case of detained suspect Adnan al-Jumaili. 
A photo released by Iraq’s judiciary shows Judge Faiq Zidan (second from left) inspecting gold bars seized in connection with the case of detained suspect Adnan al-Jumaili. 

Iraq’s judiciary has scheduled the trial of Muthanna al-Samarrai, leader of the parliamentary Azm Alliance, for next week on corruption charges, with Deputy Oil Minister Adnan al-Jumaili listed as a witness in the case.

According to a judicial document, the Central Criminal Court for Combating Corruption has set Monday, October 19, as the date for al-Samarrai’s trial.

The document, addressed to the Investigations Department of the Federal Commission of Integrity, indicates that al-Samarrai, who remains in custody, will be tried under Article 319 of Iraq’s Penal Code.

The provision covers offenses involving illicit gains, bribery or public officials benefiting, directly or through intermediaries, from works, contracts or undertakings connected to their official duties.

The court summoned the Oil Ministry’s legal representative, Adnan al-Jumaili, Mustafa Adnan al-Nuaimi, Safa Adnan al-Nuaimi, Ghassan al-Jumaili and Alaa al-Jumaili. All were listed as witnesses, while al-Samarrai was identified as a detained defendant.

The court also instructed the Military Intelligence Directorate to ensure the appearance of al-Samarrai and the witnesses, noting that they were being held by the directorate.

Iraqi authorities arrested al-Samarrai in June during a campaign of detentions known as Dawn Assault, based on information and confessions linked to the Adnan al-Jumaili case.

The operation, launched on June 28, 2026, on the orders of Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, who took office in May, initially involved a broad security and judicial crackdown on corruption. Its momentum soon slowed amid political pressure, according to local reports.

Contract mediation

Haider al-Mulla, a senior Azm Alliance official, told Asharq Al-Awsat that al-Samarrai had not denied allegations raised during questioning concerning his intervention on behalf of a businessman with former Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani to secure the award of a commercial contract.

Al-Mulla maintained, however, that al-Samarrai had not subsequently interfered in the contract’s award process or its financial arrangements.

He described passing such requests to executive authorities as a common practice among politicians.

Al-Mulla stressed that the Azm Alliance respected judicial decisions and believed in the course of justice, adding that the evidence presented so far did not indicate allegations of unexplained wealth or other offenses beyond the mediation issue.

Asked whether the case would affect the alliance’s participation in the government led by al-Zaidi, he noted that Azm was entitled to two ministerial portfolios: planning and culture.

Legal implications

Legal expert Ali al-Tamimi explained that Iraq’s Code of Criminal Procedure allows one defendant to testify against another, after which the court may initiate separate proceedings for each.

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, al-Tamimi described this as an established practice in investigative courts.

He added that a defendant’s testimony is recorded and considered in a separate official record, while the individual’s legal status as a defendant remains subject to judicial proceedings.

Arab World

Lebanon Revokes Bank Saderat Iran’s License amid US Pressure

The Banque du Liban headquarters in Beirut (Banque du Liban). 
The Banque du Liban headquarters in Beirut (Banque du Liban). 
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Lebanon Revokes Bank Saderat Iran’s License amid US Pressure

The Banque du Liban headquarters in Beirut (Banque du Liban). 
The Banque du Liban headquarters in Beirut (Banque du Liban). 

Lebanon’s central bank has revoked the local license of Bank Saderat Iran, one of Iran’s largest banks, as Washington intensifies pressure on countries to sever commercial ties with Tehran.

Banque du Liban Governor Karim Souaid told Bloomberg that the decision, taken this week, was intended to demonstrate Lebanon’s determination to protect its banking sector from institutions that could expose it to financial and regulatory risks.

The move follows tighter restrictions imposed on Iran’s financial system by other regional central banks and coincides with mounting US pressure worldwide, according to the governor.

Bank Saderat is one of Iran’s oldest commercial banks, with several branches overseas. In Lebanon, however, it did not operate as a full-scale commercial bank serving the general public or offer the extensive retail banking services typically provided by major Lebanese lenders.

Its operations were largely confined to facilitating certain transfers and financial activities linked to specific networks or entities.

Sanctions targeting Iranian institutions had effectively isolated the bank from major international banking messaging networks, including SWIFT, and global payment systems.

Washington is pursuing a campaign to isolate Iran economically in an effort to force Tehran to accept US terms for ending the war.

Last month, Britain announced it would reject new license applications from Iranian banks subject to US sanctions, including Bank Saderat, which operates a branch near the Bank of England in London’s financial district.

Avoiding financial risks

Speaking on the sidelines of the International Monetary Fund’s annual meetings in Bangkok, Thailand, Souaid noted that larger economies, including the United Arab Emirates and Türkiye, had complied with similar demands to preserve their banks’ ties to the international financial system".

He stressed that Lebanon could not afford the risks associated with failing to take such measures.

The governor acknowledged that some decisions could be politically sensitive but maintained that protecting Lebanon’s banking sector from foreign sanctions and external pressure must take priority.

Souaid also emphasized the need for Lebanon to secure its removal from the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) gray list, where it was placed over shortcomings in combating illicit financial flows.

He called for eliminating illicit funds and money-laundering proceeds from the Lebanese economy.

The central bank has hired a specialized US firm to map Lebanon’s cash economy and identify suspicious financial activity, according to the governor.

For years, Bank Saderat and its operations had faced scrutiny from international financial authorities, particularly the US Treasury Department, which regarded it as a potential financial conduit for regional groups such as Hezbollah.

Despite that pressure, its Lebanese branch maintained a legal presence under a longstanding license issued by Banque du Liban, even as Washington repeatedly called for its closure and the complete severing of its financial channels.

IMF negotiations

Lebanon is seeking to revive its economy after a financial collapse that led it to default on approximately $30 billion in international bonds in 2020.

The country is holding talks with the IMF over a potential loan, seen as a crucial step toward economic recovery.

Souaid described efforts to clean up the financial sector as an important issue in those negotiations.

Although such measures are not among the IMF’s formal conditions for a potential support package, he explained that international lenders and donors participating in any program would nevertheless expect Lebanon to maintain a financial sector free of illicit activity.