Months following the Saudi-Houthi peace talks, any real progress towards Yemeni interests is yet to be seen.

Yemen has suffered an eight-year civil war, often described as a proxy war, due to the involvement of external powers, namely Saudi Arabia, the UAE – and in opposition, Iran. The conflict led to one of the worst humanitarian crises of our century, affecting approximately 80 per cent of the nation. However, the country's intensified fragmentation has been the most troubling and arguably the most detrimental outcome. The war had exacerbated and redefined the nation's existing political, social, and religious divisions – and created new ones within the broader Houthi-controlled North and the South, which the internationally recognised Yemeni government officially controls. Today, this fragmentation continues to threaten the country's unity. This presentation will explore the nation's complex historical, social, security and political dynamics to interpret the impact of this fragmentation - considering the path forward for Yemen and its people.

Bio

Leena Adel is an academic and PhD candidate at Curtin University, based in Perth, Western Australia. She obtained her master’s in international law and a BA (hons) from the University of Western Australia. She currently teaches units in the areas of history and international relations at Curtin university. Her PhD research focuses on the intersection between gender, political participation, and revolutions particularly within the Middle East and North Africa region assessing the cases of Yemen, Egypt, and Tunisia.Leena is also a member researcher of the Curtin Extremism Research Network (CERN) based in Perth.