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
Changing of the Guard – The Yemen Review, April 2022
The surprise resignation of long-serving President Abdo Rabbu Mansour Hadi and the appointment of a new Presidential Leadership Council heralded a busy month of political and economic developments in Yemen, as a UN-brokered Ramadan truce largely held across the country. Hadi ceded his powers to a council of prominent military figures led by former … Read more
Yemen Economic Bulletin:
Money Exchangers Eye Windfall from Rial’s Recent Gains
The value of Yemeni rials increased dramatically today, April 7, following the announcement of US$3 billion in new Saudi and Emirati support for the internationally recognized Yemeni government. However, there are strong signs already from the money market that the rebound will be temporary.
Consultations in Riyadh between Yemeni parties to the … Read more
Economics
The fuel crises that erupted in both government- and Houthi-controlled areas in January continued throughout March. By mid-March, the authorities in Sana’a had increased the commercial price of gasoline by 43 percent to YR16,000 for a 20-liter tank, while the same quantity on the black market sold for YR26,000 (both priced in old rials, issued … Read more
Ramadan Truce Faces Uphill Struggle – The Yemen Review, March 2022
March saw an escalation in cross-border attacks between Yemen and Saudi Arabia, with Houthi missiles and drones targeting Saudi oil and gas infrastructure, and the kingdom responding with airstrikes on Houthi-held areas in northern Yemen. However, the month ended on a hopeful note, with the warring parties declaring that they were entering, for … Read more
When Giants Strike – The Yemen Review, January & February 2022
The Houthi threat to Marib that dominated 2021 set in motion a shift in strategy by Saudi Arabia that restored the vanguard role to the United Arab Emirates and its allied Yemeni forces. The turning point came in January when the UAE-backed Giants Brigades pushed Houthi forces out of Shabwa and entered southern Marib, forcing the Houthis to divert … Read more