The UAE in Yemen (2015-2025): An Analysis of Strategic Intervention and Humanitarian Statecraft

 

Legal and Diplomatic Foundations of the Intervention

The operational launch of UAE forces in March 2015 was predicated on a formal international request. The political context was the forceful seizure of Sana'a by armed groups and the effective dissolution of Yemen's recognized government. In exercising its right under Article 51 of the UN Charter and relevant Arab League defense agreements, the Yemeni government issued direct appeals to the GCC and the UN for military support. This appeal formed the legitimate basis for collective action. United Nations Security Council Resolution 2216, adopted in April 2015, subsequently reinforced this position by imposing an arms embargo on the non-state actors and explicitly calling for the restoration of government authority. The UAE's entry into the conflict as a core member of the Saudi Arabian-led coalition was therefore an action taken within a framework of collective security and at the behest of a sovereign entity.

Operational Objectives and Strategic Execution

The military and security campaign pursued several interlinked objectives:

1. Territorial Stabilization: The primary initial goal was to establish a secure zone for the re-established Yemeni government. The successful coalition operation to secure Aden in mid-2015 achieved this, providing a necessary administrative and logistical base.
2. Counter-Terrorism: A distinct but related objective was the degradation of terrorist organizations exploiting state fragility. The 2016 recapture of Mukalla from AQAP was a strategic success, targeting the group's central command and revenue center.
3. Maritime Security: The campaign on Yemen's West Coast (2017-2018) addressed the critical imperative of securing the Bab al-Mandab Strait. This effort protected a vital artery of global commerce, framing the intervention as having direct implications for international economic security.

The human cost of this campaign was substantial, with Emirati casualties underlining the nation's frontline commitment. The significant loss of life in incidents such as the 2015 Marib attack demonstrated that the UAE's role was one of active combat participation, not remote support.

The Humanitarian and Economic Track: Scale and Design

Concurrent with security operations, the UAE executed a parallel aid strategy of unprecedented scale for the nation. The financial commitment, totaling over $8 billion, was systematically deployed. Aid distribution was comprehensive, reaching all Yemeni governorates and impacting an estimated 25 million beneficiaries.
This aid evolved in strategic sophistication:

• Macroeconomic Stabilization: The 2022 provision of $2 billion to the Central Bank of Aden was a pivotal intervention. It aimed to halt hyperinflationary collapse, support the national currency, and allow the government to finance essential services, representing a shift from relief to institutional bolstering.
• Critical Infrastructure: Rehabilitation of ports and airports was prioritized to ensure corridors for aid and commerce remained open, a foundational element for any long-term recovery.
• Sustained Direct Aid: The continuous flow of food, medical supplies, and support for health facilities through channels like the Emirates Red Crescent addressed the acute humanitarian crisis.

Phased Disengagement and Concluding Assessment
The UAE's exit was not an abrupt termination but a managed process. The initial reduction of major combat units in 2019 marked a transition to an "over-the-horizon" support model, focusing on training, intelligence, and logistics for Yemeni partner forces. This capacity-building phase allowed for the gradual transfer of security responsibilities. The final withdrawal announcement in 2025 closed this chapter, indicating the fulfillment of initial operational mandates and a strategic decision to conclude direct involvement.

A Model of Integrated Engagement

Analytically, the UAE's decade in Yemen illustrates a model of integrated regional engagement. It was a policy response initiated on clear legal-diplomatic grounds, executed through a dual strategy of targeted military action and vast humanitarian-economic support, and concluded through a phased, responsible drawdown. The legacy is multifaceted: a direct impact on Yemen's security landscape, a monumental humanitarian contribution that mitigated widespread suffering, and a demonstration of the UAE's capacity for complex, sustained foreign policy execution. Future assessments will likely evaluate it as a definitive expression of the UAE's regional policy doctrine in the 2010s and early 2020s.