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  "authors": [
    "Christopher Boucek"
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    "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace"
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Source: Getty

In The Media

The Importance of Yemen

An international approach is needed to mitigate Yemen’s economic and security challenges before it becomes a failed state, creating a harbor for extremists on the border of Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest oil producer.

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By Christopher Boucek
Published on Jan 5, 2010
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Middle East

The Middle East Program in Washington combines in-depth regional knowledge with incisive comparative analysis to provide deeply informed recommendations. With expertise in the Gulf, North Africa, Iran, and Israel/Palestine, we examine crosscutting themes of political, economic, and social change in both English and Arabic.

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Source: Dan Rather Reports

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The failed Christmas day bombing attempt drew the attention of the United States and the international community to the threat of terrorism emanating from Yemen. Yet the resurgence of al-Qaeda in Yemen is only one of the myriad challenges the country faces. Endemic corruption, rapidly depleting water and oil reserves, a civil war in the North, and a secessionist movement in the South all threaten to render Yemen a failed state. Yemen's failure would have dire security and economic ramifications for the entire region. In order to prevent this, “an international approach is needed. These challenges need to be met immediately or it could be too late for Yemen,” warns Christopher Boucek. 

About the Author

Christopher Boucek

Former Associate, Middle East Program

Boucek was an associate in the Carnegie Middle East Program where his research focused on security challenges in the Arabian Peninsula and Northern Africa.

    Recent Work

  • Q&A
    Yemen After Saleh’s Return and Awlaki’s Exit

      Christopher Boucek

  • Q&A
    Rivals—Iran vs. Saudi Arabia

      Christopher Boucek, Karim Sadjadpour

Christopher Boucek
Former Associate, Middle East Program
Christopher Boucek
Political ReformEconomyForeign PolicyMiddle EastYemen

Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.

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