Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council Chairman Rashad Al-Alimi has called for a fundamental rethinking of the international approach to regional security, warning that escalating threats in the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb represent a geopolitical shift rather than a series of isolated incidents.
Speaking at the Munich Security Conference during a panel on maritime security, Al-Alimi said that safeguarding international shipping requires addressing the root causes of Yemen’s conflict, not relying on short-term containment measures.
He argued that sustainable maritime security begins with supporting Yemen’s state institutions and strengthening their capacity to restore stability and combat terrorism.
Al-Alimi criticized previous international responses to attacks on shipping in the Red Sea as largely tactical and reactive, focused on immediate protection rather than long-term solutions.
He said that while international naval operations have helped reduce direct risks to commercial vessels, they have also contributed to further militarization without resolving the underlying sources of instability.
He stressed that maritime security cannot be achieved through military presence alone. Instead, it depends on building a capable Yemeni state with effective political, military and economic deterrence, preventing armed groups from using Yemen’s geography as a platform to threaten global trade.
Temporary pauses in attacks, he warned, do not eliminate the risk, as Houthi militias will remain a persistent threat unless addressed through a comprehensive deterrence strategy.
Al-Alimi called for a proactive international counterterrorism approach that treats such groups as long-term geopolitical threats rather than challenges that can be managed through de-escalation or political incentives.
He also urged stronger coordination through existing regional mechanisms, including Red Sea coastal frameworks and joint task forces, within broader international partnerships aimed at achieving lasting security.
Turning to regional cooperation, Al-Alimi renewed his call for deeper Yemeni-Gulf integration, advocating Yemen’s gradual inclusion in the Gulf Cooperation Council as a strategic pathway to economic and political stability.
Speaking at a session organized by the Gulf Research Center in cooperation with the International Crisis Group, he proposed a “Gulf Marshall Plan” for Yemen’s reconstruction, inspired by the Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yemen and aligned with Saudi Vision 2030.
He concluded by stressing that any future peace process must include dismantling armed militias and ending external interference. He noted that Yemen’s long-term stability depends on internal reconciliation, stronger ties with Gulf neighbors and a shift away from sectarianism and uncontrolled weapons.
