Yemen

Overview

The protracted civil war between the Iran-backed Houthi rebels and forces affiliated with the internationally recognized government of Yemen (IRG) has killed hundreds of thousands of Yemenis, displaced four million more and disrupted international shipping and stability. Over a decade into the conflict, deep-seated political fragmentation continues to impede durable peace. NDI works closely with a broad spectrum of Yemeni political leaders to strengthen their capacity to build consensus around, participate in, and positively contribute to, future peace negotiations or political processes. In a milestone for political unity, in 2024, NDI facilitated the formation of the National Political Bloc – a coalition of major political entities united to agree on a unified political framework and foster the cohesive planning required to end the political deadlock. In tandem with these efforts, NDI works with diverse civil society actors and community actors to promote meaningful inter-community dialogue and foster greater citizen engagement at the local and national levels. This work builds upon NDI’s longstanding legacy of democratic support in Yemen, dating back to its assistance during the country’s first multiparty parliamentary elections in 1993. NDI’s support remained constant throughout the subsequent parliamentary and presidential elections of 1997, 1999, 2003 and 2006. Following the 2011 uprising, NDI assisted its local partners in conducting nationwide town halls to channel citizen input into the transition process and support the internationally acclaimed National Dialogue Conference (NDC).