Sanaa Center for Strategic Studies

What Sanaa Center for Strategic Studies does

The Sanaa Center for Strategic Studies is an independent Yemeni think tank founded in 2014, headquartered in Aden, Yemen, and operating with approximately 63 staff. Its mission is to produce independent research, shape policy discourse, and advance dialogue on Yemen's conflict, political economy, humanitarian conditions, and regional dynamics. The Center primarily serves four persona-based segments — policymakers and diplomats, the academic and research community, media professionals, and civil society/NGOs — through a horizontally segmented portfolio rather than enterprise contracts.

The Center's product surface is research- and dialogue-led rather than technology-led. Core offerings include a bilingual publication library (Perspectives and Analyses, Policy Research, The Yemen Review quarterly, and Editorials), three podcast series (The Yemen Brief, Mujaz, and the Yemen International Forum podcast), a 10-day intensive online course called The Yemen Exchange delivered via Zoom, and the annual Yemen International Forum conference. Technology usage is limited to web operations: Google Analytics, X Pixel, and Cloudflare Beacon. There is no proprietary technology platform, software product, or AI/ML capability.

The Center operates a non-profit, hybrid revenue model. The Yemen Exchange is funded entirely by participant course fees ($1,800 for governments/for-profits, $1,200 for NGOs/UN, $500 for freelance journalists/researchers, with five scholarships) plus scholarship support from The Exchange Foundation, with no government or private sector subsidy. Broader operating revenue appears to come from institutional donors — including the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the European Union, Norway, Open Society Foundations, the Folke Bernadotte Academy, and Saferworld — primarily tied to specific programs such as the Yemen International Forum and peacebuilding research.

Name

Sanaa Center for Strategic Studies

Legal name

Sana'a Center for Strategic Studies

Website

https://sanaacenter.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Sanaa Center for Strategic Studies is an independent Yemeni think tank founded in 2014 that produces policy research, publications, podcasts, and dialogue programs on Yemen's conflict, politics, and regional dynamics for policymakers, academics, journalists, and civil society.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Policy Research and Strategic Studies

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172)

SIC

International Affairs (9721)

akta.pro primary industry

Early Warning, Conflict Analysis & Prevention Programs (BPADAFAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Mediation, Negotiation Support & Peace Processes (BPADAFAC), Executive Summits & Invitation-Only Forums (MPAGAGAK)

Keywords

• Policy research think tank
• Conflict analysis Yemen
• Peacebuilding dialogue
• Strategic studies publications
• Professional training courses

Headquarters

HQ city

Aden

HQ country

Yemen

HQ region

Middle East

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Conference and Training Program Fees: The Sana'a Center generates revenue through participant fees for its Yemen Exchange intensive online courses. The Exchange is funded entirely by participant fees and scholarship contributions from The Exchange Foundation, with no supplementary government or private sector support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Sanaa Center for Strategic Studies is an independent non-profit think tank that produces policy research, publications, and podcasts on Yemen and the broader region, and convenes dialogue among policymakers, academics, and civil society. Its core commercial offering is the Yemen Exchange, a 10-day intensive online course on Yemen delivered via Zoom; its broader programs include The Yemen International Forum conference, multiple podcast series (The Yemen Brief, Mujaz, YIF Podcast), and structured dialogue platforms.

Product overview

The Sana'a Center for Strategic Studies operates as an independent Yemeni think tank offering a portfolio of research products and dialogue platforms. Its core offerings include publications (Perspectives and Analyses, Policy Research, The Yemen Review quarterly reports, and Editorials), educational programs (The Yemen Exchange intensive online course), and multiple podcast series (Mujaz, The Yemen Brief, and Yemen International Forum). These products work together to produce research, shape policy, and advance dialogue on Yemen and the region.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Research Publications Research publications including Perspectives and Analyses, Policy Research, The Yemen Review quarterly reports, and Editorials covering Yemen's political, economic, and social developments. Audience: policymakers, academics, journalists, and civil society.
• The Yemen Exchange A 10-day intensive online course on Yemen providing unique access to information, perspectives, updates, and analysis for those seeking to develop a working background on Yemen. Features Yemeni analysts, academics, politicians, and international experts. Audience: government officials, NGO/UN staff, academics, and journalists.
• Mujaz Podcast A special podcast series focusing on transitional justice, enforced disappearances, and the complexities of Yemen's ongoing conflict. Features episodes in both English and Arabic with subtitles. Audience: policy and human rights audiences.
• The Yemen Brief Podcast A podcast providing informed insights about Yemen and the surrounding region, with episodes in both English and Arabic with subtitles. Audience: journalists, policymakers, and the informed public.
• Yemen International Forum (YIF) Podcast A podcast series featuring discussions with Yemeni government representatives, political actors, activists, civil society representatives, academics, diplomats, and international mediators discussing developments in the conflict. Audience: policy and diplomatic communities.
• Yemen International Forum Annual in-person conference bringing together more than 250 participants from inside and outside Yemen, including representatives of the Yemeni government, political actors, activists, civil society, academics, diplomats, and international mediators. Audience: high-level policy and diplomatic stakeholders.
• Dialogue Platforms Structured discussion forums bringing together diverse stakeholders including policymakers, academics, and civil society to discuss Yemen-related issues. Audience: policy, academic, and civil society communities.

Quantifiable outcome

• The Yemen International Forum brought together more than 250 participants from inside and outside Yemen
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• The Exchange FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026The Exchange Foundation co-organizes the annual Yemen Exchange intensive online course with the Sana'a Center. This is a long-running partnership providing unique access to information and analysis on Yemen for global participants. The Foundation provides scholarship funding for the program.
• SaferworldcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSaferworld collaborates with the Sana'a Center on projects exploring alternative methodologies for supporting peace in Yemen, including podcast content production focused on conflict analysis and peacebuilding.
• Yemen International Forum PartnersflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Yemen International Forum (YIF) is organized by the Sana'a Center and brings together over 250 participants from inside and outside Yemen including government representatives, political actors, activists, civil society, academics, diplomats, and international mediators. Additional support from Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, EU, Norway, Open Society Foundations, and Folke Bernadotte Academy.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Chatham House: Established international affairs think tank with a substantial Middle East and North Africa program. Comparable as a non-partisan policy research and convening organization, though broader in scope than a Yemen-focused niche.
• Atlantic Council: International affairs think tank with active programs on Middle East, Red Sea, and Gulf security that intersect directly with the Sana'a Center's mandate. Comparable convening and policy-publication model, broader geographic scope.
• Brookings Institution: Major US-based public policy organization with a Center for Middle East Policy producing research and convening on regional conflicts including Yemen. Comparable as a large-scale policy research and convening institution, though much broader in mandate.
• International Institute for Strategic Studies: Global research institute producing strategic analysis on armed conflicts, regional security, and military developments — overlapping with the Center's conflict and maritime security focus. Comparable as an established, donor-supported policy research institution.
• Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS): US-based bipartisan policy research organization covering Middle East security, defense, and political analysis with significant Yemen-relevant output. Comparable as a major policy think tank producing bilingual analysis and convening stakeholders.
• Carnegie Middle East Center: Regional policy research center producing analysis on Middle East conflicts, governance, and political economy with active Yemen-relevant work. Comparable as a research-and-dialogue oriented think tank with regional convening and bilingual content capability.

Direct peers

• International Crisis Group: Global conflict-prevention think tank producing field-driven analysis and policy recommendations on active conflicts, including dedicated Yemen coverage. Directly comparable as a non-profit policy research organization focused on conflict analysis and prevention.
• Yemen Polling Center: Yemen-focused independent research organization producing public opinion research and policy analysis on Yemeni political and social dynamics. Closely comparable as a Yemen-specialist research and data organization.

Regional players

• Al Jazeera Centre for Studies: Qatar-based policy research arm producing Arabic-language analysis on regional conflicts including Yemen. Comparable as a media-adjacent regional think tank with similar bilingual output and Middle East policy focus.
• Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies (Doha Institute): Major Arab-world policy research institution producing social science and political analysis with regional convening power. Comparable in mission and Arabic-first content delivery, broader geographic mandate.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SanaaCenter
• YouTubeyoutube.com/sanaacenter
• Facebookfacebook.com/sanaacenter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sanaacentre
• Instagraminstagram.com/sanaacenterorg
• TikToktiktok.com/@sanaacenterorg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Sanaa Center for Strategic Studies