Commentary
Is Morocco’s migration policy protecting Sub-Saharan African migrants or managing them for political and security ends? This article unpacks the gaps, the risks, and the paths toward real rights-based integration.
Soufiane Elgoumri
{
"authors": [
"Muhammad Ali Thamer"
],
"type": "commentary",
"blog": "Sada",
"centerAffiliationAll": "dc",
"centers": [
"Carnegie Endowment for International Peace"
],
"collections": [],
"englishNewsletterAll": "menaTransitions",
"nonEnglishNewsletterAll": "",
"primaryCenter": "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace",
"programAffiliation": "MEP",
"programs": [
"Middle East"
],
"projects": [],
"regions": [],
"topics": []
}
Source: Getty
Commentary
Yemen’s Stolen Heritage: Looted Artifacts in International Auctions
The illicit antiquities trade has rapidly expanded during the civil war: thousands of smuggled Yemeni artifacts, valued at tens of millions of dollars, are now housed in the United States and at museums across the globe.
By Muhammad Ali Thamer
Published on Sep 28, 2023
On August 30, the United States and Yemen signed an agreement to safeguard Yemeni heritage by ending the illegal sale of Yemeni artifacts in U.S. auction houses. This builds upon the February 2020 Emergency Import Restrictions, which banned the import of Yemeni cultural property and antiquities to the United States. In light of this agreement, it is worth reviewing several reports that have detailed the looting, destruction, and smuggling of Yemeni antiquities overseas.
The Long History of Smuggling
For centuries, Yemeni antiquities have been illegally transported outside the country’s borders. In the past, this illicit trade was dominated by orientalist campaigns; today, antiquities gangs flourish amidst deteriorating security conditions. During the nine-year-long civil war, Yemeni artifacts—including Sabaean statues, Himyarite animal heads, and stone plaques written in Musnad, a cuneiform script—have appeared at international auction houses.
A recent report by the al-Hudhud Center for Archaeological Studies reveals a significant increase in the number of smuggled Yemeni antiquities at international auctions. Between 1991 and 2022, over 4,265 Yemeni artifacts were sold in six Western countries, through 16 American and European auctions. This includes 2,610 pieces that were smuggled and sold during the war period alone—the vast majority of which ended up in the United States, at a value of more than $12 million. The report further revealed that 1,384 stolen and smuggled Yemeni artifacts are held in seven international museums.
Who is Responsible?
Many Yemeni journalists and researchers have argued that the conflicting powers in Yemen, whether Yemeni or regional, such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar, are to blame for the ongoing theft of Yemeni cultural heritage. However, the various powers themselves deny these allegations, and instead point fingers at one another. Some have even recruited civil society organizations in the areas under their control to broadcast television reports on local, regional, and Western television channels—including France 2, Qatar’s Al-Jazeera, the Saudi Al-Arabiya network, the Emirati Sky News channel, and Germany’s DW—to distort the facts.
On the other hand, reputable news outlets specializing in antiquities and science, such as the American website Live Science, have published hundreds of stories about Yemeni artifacts sold in international auctions. Now Yemenis themselves, along with others interested in Yemeni civilization and history, have begun to question the failure of the Yemeni government and concerned international organizations to protect Yemeni antiquities and punish smugglers. Those who rob Yemen of its history, they believe, also destroy Yemen’s present and future prospects.
Popular Demands to Protect Cultural Heritage
Yemeni activists and researchers tend to blame the Yemeni government for ongoing smuggling. One of the most prominent among them is the Yemeni archaeological researcher Abdullah Mohsen, whose social media pages are filled with news of the sale of Yemeni antiquities in international auctions. Another is the journalist Ahmed Ashour, who published an investigative report documenting the theft of precious Yemeni artifacts that were sold through antiquities marketing sites in Europe.
Throughout the war, the Yemeni government has been entirely absent from the issue of antiquities smuggling, either due to a lack of will or the intervention of external forces. However, the popular demand to save Yemen's history has forced the government to take aggressive measures to combat the illicit trade and impose severe penalties on smugglers. The government has called on European countries to stop the illegal sale of Yemeni antiquities, and announced the recovery of 77 artifacts and Quranic manuscripts that were smuggled to America just before signing the aforementioned agreement. Yemenis hope that these measures, along with others soon to be implemented, will ensure that the majority of smuggled Yemeni artifacts and antiquities are rightfully repatriated.
Muhammad Ali Thamer is a writer, researcher, and journalist from Yemen. He authored the Yemeni Archaeological Atlas, the first of its kind in Yemen, and writes for Arab and international newspapers. He is also the former director of Al-Thaqafa and Al-Yamaniya magazines.
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.
More Work from Sada
- Sub-Saharan African Migrants in Morocco: Security Concerns and the Test of Human Rights
- A House Divided: How Internal Power Struggles Shape Iraq’s Foreign PolicyCommentary
Iraq’s foreign policy is being shaped by its own internal battles—fractured elites, competing militias, and a state struggling to speak with one voice. The article asks: How do these divisions affect Iraq’s ability to balance between the U.S. and Iran? Can Baghdad use its “good neighbor” approach to reduce regional tensions? And what will it take for Iraq to turn regional investments into real stability at home? It explores potential solutions, including strengthening state institutions, curbing rogue militias, improving governance, and using regional partnerships to address core economic and security weaknesses so Iraq can finally build a unified and sustainable foreign policy.
Mike Fleet
- The Role of E-commerce in Empowering Women in Saudi Arabia: Assessing the Policy PotentialCommentary
How can Saudi Arabia turn its booming e-commerce sector into a real engine of economic empowerment for women amid persistent gaps in capital access, digital training, and workplace inclusion? This piece explores the policy fixes, from data-center integration to gender-responsive regulation, that could unlock women’s full potential in the kingdom’s digital economy.
Hannan Hussain
- A War Fueled by Hate Speech: Sudan’s Fall into FragmentationCommentary
Hate speech has spread across Sudan and become a key factor in worsening the war between the army and the Rapid Support Forces. The article provides expert analysis and historical background to show how hateful rhetoric has fueled violence, justified atrocities, and weakened national unity, while also suggesting ways to counter it through justice, education, and promoting a culture of peace.
Samar Sulaiman
- Disarming Palestinian Factions in Lebanon: Can a Security Experiment Evolve into Sovereign Policy?Commentary
The August 2025 government decision to restrict weapons to the Lebanese state, starting with Palestinian arms in the camps, marked a major test of Lebanon’s ability to turn a long-standing slogan into practical policy. Yet the experiment quickly exposed political hesitation, social gaps, and factional divisions, raising the question of whether it can become a model for addressing more sensitive files such as Hezbollah’s weapons.
Souhayb Jawhar
