Saudi Arabia and the UAE are gobbling up Yemen: The Economist

SANAA, Feb. 25 (YPA) – A report published by “The Economist ” newspaper  summarizes the areas of influence between Saudi Arabia and United Arab of Emirates in Yemen and their motivations and interest to control  those areas.

According to the newspaper, the kingdom appears to be carving a new corridor to the coast. Meanwhile, the UAE’s actions in Yemen appear part of a larger strategy to gobble up ports along some of the world’s busiest shipping routes.

The UAE has captured a string of southern ports, such as Mukalla, Aden and Mokha. It controls Yemen’s only gas-liquefaction plant, at Balhaf, and an oil-export terminal, at al-Shihr. The strategic island of Socotra looks increasingly like an Emirati base. The UAE also runs two military camps in the remote Hadramawt region, where its troops have trained some 25,000 local fighters, the report added.

Saudi and Emirati officials say their deployments across the country are part of their war effort, the report said.

The UAE’s goal is to enhance and secure the position of its own port at Jebel Ali, analysts say, the Economist said in its report.

Emad