The United Kingdom has launched a Yemeni coastguard coalition in partnership with the European Union, Saudi Arabia, United States and Japan.
British ambassador to Yemen Abda Sharif chaired the first meeting of the group, which aims to support the Yemeni Coast Guard in securing international waters, combating weapons and drugs smuggling, and reducing “unsafe” immigration.
The coalition will be the steering committee for the Yemen Maritime Security Partnership, a Saudi and British initiative founded in September to train the coastguard.
The committee also “reaffirmed the importance” of strengthening human rights-based approaches to security and “increasing women’s meaningful participation”, in a joint statement on Monday.
Yemen’s Red Sea coast is an important section of global shipping routes – but also a haven for smuggling and piracy.
British Minister for the Middle East Hamish Falconer reaffirmed the UK's backing for the official government’s efforts to counter extremist attacks on shipping. Mr Falconer said it was “critical to strengthen maritime security”, during his one-day visit to Aden last month.