Wadhah Al-Awlaqi has served as the Chief Economist at the Sana’a Center for Strategic Studies since 2019. He has over a decade of experience in economic research, analysis, and policy development focused on Yemen. He held several key positions at the Central Bank of Yemen, overseeing strategic planning, financial reporting, budget management, and accounting operations. He holds an MBA in Finance from the prestigious KAIST Business School in South Korea.
Wadhah's latest contributions
The Yemen Review Quarterly: April-June 2025
The Economy
Yemen is hurtling toward a humanitarian crisis due to a confluence of factors: sharp aid cuts, escalating conflict, crippling sanctions, and a collapsing currency.
On April 7, the Trump administration ended almost all US aid to Yemen as part of sweeping cuts for more than a dozen countries. The cuts came at a critical time, as Yemen was already … Read more
The Yemen Review Quarterly: April-June 2025
On May 6, the US abruptly suspended its air campaign against the Houthi group (Ansar Allah) as President Donald Trump announced a surprise ceasefire. Both sides reportedly agreed to stop targeting one another; each, unsurprisingly, declared victory. From its outset, the 52-day-long air campaign known as “Operation Rough Rider” was beset by … Read more
A New Prime Minister is Not the Answer
Ever since the internationally recognized government fled from Sana’a after the Houthi takeover in 2014, it has failed to develop a strategy to adapt to its new environment and the challenges it poses. Instead, it has continued to act as if nothing has happened, and only a few tweaks are required to keep going. This can be seen clearly in the … Read more
The Yemen Review Quarterly: January-March 2025
On March 15, the US launched Operation Rough Rider, a massive expansion of its aerial campaign against the Houthi group (. The strikes followed a Houthi threat to resume targeting Israeli ships due to the blockade of aid into Gaza on March 2. Strikes have been taking place continuously as of the time of writing. The Houthi-affiliated Health … Read more
The Yemen Review Quarterly: January-March 2025
The Economy
The first quarter of 2025 saw escalating US sanctions against the Houthis. The sanctions, intended to suffocate the Houthis financially, could have a negative impact on Yemen’s already fragile financial system, and threaten to disrupt flows of crucial humanitarian aid and remittances, further destabilizing the economy.
In mid-January, the US … Read more