U.S Senate outlines Yemen challenges

Gerald Feierstein, the newly appointed ambassador to Yemen, said promoting security, stability, and development in Yemen will be his highest priorities,” arguing that “over the long term, the antidote for extremism will be more than security operations, said Feierste during a hearing held at the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations concerning nominees for ambassadorial positions in different regions including Yemen.
 
Feierstein said combating terrorism will rely on the development of credible and transparent national institutions that can deliver the political, economic, and social progress that people seek, highlighted the “critical role” of the U.S. in supporting necessary and increasingly robust development and humanitarian assistance programs” and in maintaining “sound working relations with the government of Yemen, civil society, and political and business leaders to build the foundations of a strong, secure, and democratic Yemen.”
 
Sen. Lugar expressed his concern over the U.S. embassy team’ being unable to travel outside of Sana’a to monitor key projects on the ground. Feierstein said the role of the U.S. and friends of Yemen will be helping the Yemeni government and security forces to control all of their territory, and building up the economic, social and political structures inside of Yemen so that the people of Yemen have the strength and the confidence that they need in order to resist the extremist message and to align themselves with the government, adding that these tasks will take a number of years.
 
Asked how the U.S. could support a political solution to the Houthi rebellion in Yemen, Feierstein responded that there has been some progress in resolving some of the political disputes about the upcoming parliamentary elections next year and that “Houthis appear interested in nonviolent negotiations toward a political resolution.”
 
Regarding how U.S. can measure the effectiveness of U.S. financial aid, Feierstein explained that “it is the administration’s policy to try to maintain a balance between the security assistance levels and the economic assistance levels.”
 
“We are less confident that we can assure the Congress in particular that this money is being well-spent,” Feierstein concluded.

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