Appointment of new Prime Minister in Yemen amid serious challenges

Aden (Yemen) (Uttam Hindu News): According to media reports, the ongoing civil war in Yemen took a new turn when the Presidential Leadership Council appointed Foreign Minister Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak as the country’s new Prime Minister. The council chairman issued an official order appointing bin Mubarak to replace Ma’in Abdul Malik, who was named presidential adviser on Monday, Xinhua news agency reported.

Bin Mubarak is a veteran politician, having served as chief of staff under former President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi in 2014. That same year, he was offered the post of Prime Minister, but he refused. Since late 2014, Yemen has been embroiled in a civil war between the Iran-backed Houthis and Saudi-backed government forces. The Houthis captured key northern areas, including the capital Sanaa. Bin Mubarak was briefly kidnapped by the Houthi group in 2015. After his release he served as Yemen’s ambassador to the US, then became Foreign Minister in 2020.

In a statement, bin Mubarak said he assumed the new role with a determination to achieve concrete results for the Yemeni people during these difficult times, and to foster unity and integrity between the government and state institutions to serve the nation responsibly. Called for efforts. He stressed the need to maintain the rule of law while addressing the many challenges facing Yemen. He said his government would seek regional and international partnerships to establish peace and security in the country.

Bin Mubarak is taking on the role of prime minister at a time when Yemen faces enormous economic and humanitarian challenges. Years of civil war have led to a decline in the economy with rising inflation and the collapse of the Yemeni currency. Infrastructure is weak across the country. Poverty and food insecurity affect the lives of millions of Yemenis. On Saturday, the Yemeni riyal hit a record low of 1,650 against one US dollar. The country’s currency crisis is becoming increasingly serious.

The ongoing conflict between the Houthis and government forces has displaced more than four million people and left 80 percent of the population in need of humanitarian assistance. Despite repeated attempts at a ceasefire and peace agreement, no political solution has emerged. The country is also divided between the Houthi-held north and the internationally recognized government-held south. Stabilizing Yemen requires urgent measures to manage the declining economy, address fuel and food shortages, rebuild destroyed infrastructure and public services, and establish lasting peace.