Yemen in the Global Spotlight: Media Narratives and Their Political Impact Conference

The Mokha Center for Strategic Studies hosted a two-day conference titled “Yemen in the Global Spotlight: Media Narratives and Political Impact” in Istanbul, beginning on Thursday, 28th October 2024. The event aimed to explore the complexities of the Yemeni crisis and develop new narratives to provide a clearer and more accurate representation of Yemen in international media, addressing prevalent misrepresentations.
The conference sought to examine diverse media narratives and provide a portrayal of Yemen that aligns more closely with reality.
In his opening remarks, Atiq Jarallah, head of the Mokha Center for Strategic Studies, emphasized the critical need for a stable Yemeni state that safeguards both its citizens and sovereignty. He highlighted how such stability would benefit not only Yemen but also the global community. Jarallah also pointed out that Yemen’s prolonged conflict and the international focus on other wars have pushed Yemen into obscurity, worsening living conditions and threatening future stability.
In his speech, Yemen’s ambassador to Turkey, Mohammed Turaik, urged the conference to produce outcomes that bolster the efforts of Yemen’s legitimate government. He expressed hope that the event would help clarify Yemen’s position and policies on the global stage.
The conference sessions featured several research papers. A paper by Dr. Günter Orth offered a historical analysis of Yemen’s crises and examined how British, American, Chinese, and Russian media have shaped global perceptions of Yemen, particularly its humanitarian challenges. Other discussions on the first day addressed French and Turkish media coverage, as well as European policies toward Yemen.
In a presentation on Russian media, journalist Anna van Densky explained that Russia’s coverage of the Yemeni crisis often aligns with its political agenda. She emphasized that Russian media uses the crisis to advance narratives serving international interests.
Former European Parliament member Ivanov Konstantin highlighted Europe’s fragmented media coverage, which tends to focus solely on humanitarian issues while neglecting the broader context of the conflict. He called for correcting the media narrative to build a comprehensive understanding of Yemen, moving away from “crisis journalism” toward fostering partnerships with the country.
Yemeni-British writer Anwar Al-Ansi reflected on the humanitarian disasters in Yemen, noting that Western nations often regard Yemen only as a humanitarian issue, overshadowed by other regional crises.
President of the Italian Salam organization, Simona Fernandez emphasized the importance of diversifying sources, urging reliance on civil society organizations for a more balanced and honest understanding of Yemen, rather than solely depending on official narratives or mainstream media.
French journalist Quentin Muller criticized the French media’s oversimplification of the Yemeni conflict as merely a Saudi-Iranian rivalry, arguing that the situation is far more complex. He called for facilitating foreign journalists’ access to Yemen and lowering the costs of reporting, particularly in southern regions.
On his part, Turkish journalist Mehmet Rakipoğlu observed that Yemen receives less attention in Turkish media compared to topics like Palestine and Syria, despite Turkey’s humanitarian efforts. He noted that a lack of in-depth media analysis hinders understanding of Yemen’s deep-rooted issues, as Turkish coverage often avoids the political dimensions of the crisis in favor of humanitarian concerns.
The conference concluded with a call to action for international media and policymakers to adopt a more comprehensive and nuanced approach to the Yemeni crisis. Participants emphasized the need to prioritize balanced reporting, amplify voices from within Yemen, and ensure that media narratives accurately reflect the complexities of the conflict. By fostering informed dialogue and collaborative efforts, the event aimed to pave the way for more effective advocacy and policymaking that supports Yemen’s path to peace and stability.