Yemen collapse danger to world security: UK

“The underpinning issue (of help to Yemen) is the protection of the stability of the state overall and let's be honest: there are massive dangers to the country, the region and the wider world if ever Yemen becomes failed state,” Alan Duncan, Britain's international development minister, said.

Duncan, who described “a very potent cocktail for danger,” was speaking at a meeting at UN headquarters in New York of the Friends of Yemen — an international support group for the country.

The Arabian Peninsula nation is suffering growing security and economic strains and faces a rising al-Qaida presence.

U.S. authorities blame a plot to blow up a U.S.-bound airliner on Christmas Day last year on the Yemen-based organization known as al-Qaida on the Arabian peninsula. The group also claimed the attack, which was foiled only when the alleged bomber's explosive failed to ignite properly.

Meanwhile, the central government in Sanaa is struggling to deal with rebels in the north, separatists in the south and an economy holed by declining oil reserves, the main revenue source.

“You have a country that's running out of oil, running out of water and running out of time,” Duncan said.

According to the U.N. refugee agency, at least 4,000 civilians have fled fighting between government forces and militants in southern Yemen since last weekend.

Friends of Yemen said in a statement that it supported internal Yemeni attempts to resolve political tensions and promised to “provide additional support for social protection” to shield the country's poor from the side-effects of painful economic reforms.

Subscribe to The China Post and save 25%. Click here

PrintEmail

Write a Comment

Terms

Enter your comments - 3000 characters max

Type in image code

Submit

 Receive China Post promos
 Respond to this email