Yemen's July 17th: A pivotal date in the nation-building journey

July 17th signifies more than a date in national memory; it marks the day Yemen reoriented itself and embarked on the path of modern state-building after prolonged political turmoil, divisions, and conflicts that threatened its very existence. On this day in 1978, national leader President Ali Abdullah Saleh assumed command of the country during one of the Republic's most challenging periods, marked by political assassinations, institutional collapse, internal strife, and regional and international pressures that jeopardized Yemen's future and unity.

The advent of July 17th ushered in a new era focused on state construction, the consolidation of its institutions, the supremacy of law, and the revitalization of the republican concept. The path was arduous and fraught with challenges and dangers, yet the leadership successfully transitioned Yemen from crisis management to stability creation, defining the contours of a national project that, for decades, served as a unifying framework for Yemenis across their diverse affiliations.

Over thirty-three years, Yemen witnessed significant transformations across various sectors. The network of roads, airports, and ports expanded, and electricity, telecommunications, and education services reached extensive areas. The oil and gas sector experienced its true launch, the Marib Dam was rebuilt, and investments and development aid flowed in, all while the state solidified its presence across governorates.

Politically, Yemen engaged in a pluralistic and democratic experiment considered among the most prominent in the region, characterized by parliamentary, presidential, and local elections, the presence of partisan and independent media, and a political life marked by peaceful competition, despite accompanying challenges. Externally, Yemen pursued a balanced policy that preserved its national decision-making independence, fostering balanced relations with its Arab, regional, and international surroundings without compromising its national and pan-Arab principles.

The most significant achievement of that era remains the realization of Yemeni unity on May 22, 1990, standing as the greatest national project in modern Yemeni history. This event ended decades of division and laid the foundation for a unified Yemeni state, fulfilling a long-held aspiration of successive generations.

However, the state-building project was not immune to targeted attacks. In subsequent years, it faced escalating political, security, and media pressures that weakened state institutions and plunged the country into a vortex of conflicts and divisions. With the dismantling of many pillars of the state, the Houthi militia found an opportunity to seize and overthrow its institutions in September 2014, ushering Yemen into one of its most tragic phases, characterized by war, division, economic collapse, and an unprecedented humanitarian crisis.

Today, after years of conflict, the comparison between the past and the present is starker than ever. The state that possessed functional institutions, a unified army, and sovereignty over its decisions has devolved into a reality burdened by division, multiple authorities, declining services, and ongoing war.

The commemoration of July 17th is not merely an occasion to celebrate the past but an opportunity to recall the value of the national state and the importance of preserving its institutions. It reminds Yemenis that nations are built not on slogans but on institutions, stability, and national partnership, and that Yemen's recovery begins with the restoration of its state, sovereignty, unity, and the encompassing national project that for many years symbolized stability and development.