Yemen is one of the poorest countries in the Middle East, and is currently imploding due to a civil war.
The origins of the conflict in Yemen stem in the failure to transition from one president to another. President Saleh was forced to hand over the presidency to Mr. Hadi, who struggled with attacks by jihadists, loyalty to Saleh, and corruption among other issues. While Mr. Hadi was vulnerable, a group of people supporting Yemen's Zaidi Shia Muslim community took control of northern territories in and around Saada province. Because Mr. Hadi was not a satisfactory president to the people, many Yeminis supported the Houthis, ultimately leading to the rebel grou's capture of the capital Sanaa.
Ex-president Saleh, his military, and the Houthis then took control of the entire country, forcing Mr. Hadi to leave. Following this, Saudi Arabia, and eight other Arab States backed by American, British and French intelligence launched a campaign to remove the Houthis and restore Mr. Hadi's. government.
The instability has since become a very global problem, and has only added to the ruin in Yemen and surrounding countries. I am fascinated and terrified by the complexity of Yemen's instability, as it suggests that the solution may be very complicated. Between extremely large numbers of civilian fatalities, severe malnutrition, and ongoing war, the situation in Yemen must remain at the forefront of the world's focus, even amidst the pandemic.