Poland in Saudi Arabia

Historical view

The establishment of the first official political relations with Yemen in the 20th century took place at the time of the simultaneous operation of two separate states: Northern and Southern Yemen. The official establishment of diplomatic relations between the Polish People's Republic and North Yemen (the Kingdom of Yemen) took place as a result of a joint declaration of representatives of both states on December 21, 1957 in Warsaw. The statement was signed on behalf of the People's Republic of Poland (Deputy Chairman of the Council of State - Oskar Lange) and the Kingdom of Yemen (Heir to the Throne, Deputy Prime Minister - Mohammed el Badr during the visit of the Yemeni delegation in Poland.

Establishment of diplomatic relations between the Polish People's Republic and South Yemen took place as a result of the publication of a joint communiqué in the capitals of both countries on April 26, 1970.

Political cooperation after 1989

In 1990, the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Sana’a was opened, that was working until 2008.  

At present, the ongoing Yemen conflict in practice prevents wider political and economic contacts. For purposes of current diplomatic correspondence and visa issues, the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Riyadh maintains a working contact with the Embassy of Yemen in Riyadh and the Embassy of Yemen in Warsaw. In addition, the Yemeni government maintains scholarships for around a dozen of students at Polish universities.  In 2018, the Embassy of the Republic of Poland sent material assistance to Polish citizens living in Yemen.

On April 21, 1999, an Agreement was signed between the Government of the Republic of Poland and the Yemeni Government on granting the loan (entered into force on June 30, 1999). The loan amount was used to finance contracts executed in Yemen by Polish enterprises, which increased trade exchange over the next few years. The contracts were concluded directly with the Ministry of National Defense of Yemen. According to the Yemeni side, before the outbreak of the Civil War, priority could be given to projects in the field of infrastructure and coastal protection in further lending cooperation between Poland and Yemen.

On the August 31, 2008 the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Sana’a was liquidated. Starting from 1st September 2008, Yemen became part of the territorial competence of the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Riyadh.

In 2015, a civil war broke out which until now makes it impossible to further development economic cooperation.