Putting the arms industry before conscience has allowed a humanitarian disaster to continue, but change could be coming
In a speech at the US state department last week, President Biden turned the war in Yemen from a forgotten crisis to front-page news. Since March 2015, a Saudi-led coalition, militarily and diplomatically backed by the US and UK in particular, has been involved in the conflict, which grew out of a failed political transition following the 2011 revolution.
The war has killed more than 100,000 people, destroyed much of the country’s infrastructure, subjected large swathes of the population to famine and generated the worst cholera outbreak since modern records began. All parties to the war have likely committed violations of international law.
Related: Biden announces end to US support for Saudi-led offensive in Yemen
Anna Stavrianakis is professor of international relations at the University of Sussex