Relations between Yemen and Austria:

The first Yemeni-Austrian contact dates back to the 18th century when Austrian orientalist Sigfried Lagner visited Yemen for the purpose of collecting Yemeni manuscripts. The Austrian Empire opened a consulate in the city of Aden in 1871. The eighteenth and nineteenth centuries also witnessed Yemen’s use of the Austrian silver coinage during the reign of Empress Maria Theresa thaler as a medium of trade and commerce. In Yemen, this currency was also used to decorate the dagger or jambiya that is used as an adornment for men in Yemen.

In the twentieth century a second consulate was opened in the city of Al-Hudaida in 1914 .The establishment of diplomatic relations dates back to 1975 when the two countries commenced diplomatic relations at the level of non-resident ambassadors.

In the year 1990, the Yemeni embassy in Austria was opened. Currently the Austrian ambassador to Muscat in Oman is a non-resident ambassador to Austria in Yemen.

Since1990 it has been strengthening the partnership to develop bilateral relations and cooperation in the fields of trade, tourism and medicine. For instance, OMV is currently operating in Yemen, in Shabwa governorate and it is among the few active European companies in Yemen to this day which reflects the depth of the Yemeni-Austrian relations . 

The most important achievements of the bilateral relations between the two countries since 2001 can be summarized as follows:

• A cooperation agreement was signed between the General Hospital in Sana’a and the Pouliten Hospital in Austria to train and rehabilitate a number of doctors.
• Austria has provided $ 480,000 to Yemen’s health sector as part of the efforts to strengthen health management in Yemen was supervised by WHO.
• Some local Austrian NGOs and international companies provided medical aid to Yemen.
• Austrian government provided medical aid to those affected by floods in Aden.
• Ten scholarships were awarded for postgraduate studies in different medical fields for Yemeni students who graduated from Austria.
• In 2001 a draft memorandum of understanding was conceptualized between the Federation of Yemeni Chambers of Commerce and Industry and the Austrian Chamber of Commerce and Industry to strengthen the cooperation in the commercial fields.
• In 2003 the ratification of the agreement to protect and encourage investment between the two countries.
• In 2006 the municipality of Vienna donated a fire truck to the Sana’a firehouse.
• In 2007 Yemen received shipments of medicines donated from Austria and received a Austrian medical teams.
• A loan agreement for the Social Fund for Development approved.
• In 2008 a draft health agreement was conceptualized between Yemen and Austria.
• In 2016 Austria  provided € 500,000 as Humanitarian assistance to Yemen.
• In 2017 Austria  provided € 2,000,000 as Humanitarian assistance to Yemen.
• In 2018 Austria  provided € 2,000,000 as Humanitarian assistance to Yemen.
• In 2019 Austria  provided € 3,000,000 as Humanitarian assistance to Yemen.

• Austria recently provided 3 million euros as a humanitarian aid to Yemen during the year 2020.

The Ambassador of the Republic of Yemen to Austria H.E. Mr. Haytham Adbulmomen SHOJA’AADIN is a non-resident ambassador for Yemen in Slovenia, Croatia and Slovakia.