Yemen: President And Emirati Officials Fail To Mend Rift

Yemeni President Abd Rabboh Mansour Hadi met with Emirati officials Feb. 27 during an unannounced visit to Abu Dhabi to discuss tension between the two sides, BBC reported. U.S. diplomats attended the talks as well. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates lead the military coalition of Gulf Cooperation Council members fighting in support of Yemen's internationally recognized government, led by Hadi. The Feb. 27 talks followed reported clashes over the last few weeks between Hadi's presidential guard and the Aden airport protection forces, reportedly backed by Emirati-aligned commanders. By all accounts, Hadi's meeting did not go well and did not mend ties between Hadi and Emirati officials. The United Arab Emirates views Hadi as a barrier to their vision for optimal governance in Yemen, which focuses intently on securing the south by bolstering tribal alliances, with less regard for northern Yemen. Hadi and Saudi Arabia, by contrast, want to exert control over the entirety of the country. After spending two years conducting airstrikes against the Houthi rebels to little visible effect, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia have learned that Yemen is no place for quick, easy military victories.