American Institute: Saudi Corridor to the Arabian Sea Will Not Move Forward Without an Understanding with Sana’a
A report confirms that the Saudi energy project through Hadramout and Al-Mahrah faces the complexities of the Yemeni war and the need for comprehensive political and security guarantees.
NYN | Reports and Analyses
The Gulf International Forum in Washington confirmed that the project to establish a Saudi corridor extending through the governorates of Hadramout and Al-Mahrah to the Arabian Sea remains part of Riyadh’s long-term strategic options. However, its implementation remains contingent upon reaching broad political and security understandings, foremost among them the approval of Sana’a.
In a recent report, the institute explained that the project goes beyond being merely an economic or engineering plan, as it is tied to complex political and security balances within Yemen and across the region. It noted that any practical move would require agreements involving the various influential forces in both northern and southern Yemen, in addition to the Sultanate of Oman and the Gulf Cooperation Council states.
The report pointed out that Al-Mahrah Governorate is currently experiencing a state of relative stability compared to the years of previous tension. It added that Saudi Arabia has increasingly come to rely on local formations composed of residents of the governorate, including what is known as the “Nation Shield Forces,” alongside improving relations between Riyadh and Muscat in recent years.
The institute stated that the energy corridor project carries a “strategic logic” for Saudi Arabia, particularly in the context of seeking alternative oil export routes away from sensitive maritime chokepoints. Nevertheless, the continuation of the war in Yemen remains the primary obstacle to any practical progress on this issue.
The report emphasized that the massive infrastructure projects associated with the proposed corridor — whose cost could reach tens of billions of dollars — require a stable environment and long-term security guarantees. It warned against risking huge investments without a comprehensive political settlement that would ensure the protection of these projects from future threats or attacks.
According to the report, experts believe that any strategic project of this magnitude cannot be viable while the conflict continues, making direct understandings with Sana’a an essential prerequisite for moving the project from the theoretical proposal stage to actual implementation.
