FM Shaya Mohsen Zindani has been appointed as the new prime minister, as Saudi Arabia moves to consolidate control over Yemen’s presidency.
Yemen’s Saudi-backed ‘presidential leadership’ council has accepted the resignation of Prime Minister Salem bin Breek and appointed Foreign Minister Shaya Mohsin al-Zindani as the country’s new prime minister, state news agency Saba reported.
Bin Breek formally submitted his resignation, which was accepted by the council, with Jindani named to form the next cabinet, Saba said on Thursday.
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Yemen is a source Increased stress In recent months between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
The main southern Yemeni separatist group, the Southern Transitional Council – backed by what Saudi Arabia calls the UAE – seized control of areas across southern and eastern Yemen in December, reaching the Saudi border, which the kingdom considers a threat to its national security.
Saudi-backed fighters have largely captured those areas.
Sharp differences on many other issues, from geopolitics to oil production, have also become a source of friction between the two Gulf powers.
Saudi Arabia and the UAE have previously worked together in an alliance Fighting the Iran-backed Houthis In Yemen’s civil war, which has led to one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
Meanwhile, Yemen’s eight-seat presidential council also dismissed a southern separatist based in the UAE on Thursday, cementing Saudi Arabia’s full control over the country’s decision-making body.
“It was decided to cancel the membership of Faraj Salamin al-Bahsani in the Presidential Leadership Council,” the Saudi-backed organization said in an official resolution.
Bahshani is the STC vice-chairman who is undergoing treatment in the UAE and was the governor of the oil-rich Hadhramout province, the largest in Yemen and one of the two separatist-held provinces.
Earlier this month, STC leader Aidars al-Zubaidi, who was also a PLC member, was fired after being accused of “high treason” and fled to the UAE.
The resolution to dismiss Bahsani cited a number of reasons, including his support for the detention of Zubaidi and the STC, as well as the statements he made.
On Sunday, Bahshani gave an interview to the AFP news agency in which he said the southern army, along with southern separatists, would not agree to unite under the Saudi-led coalition as announced by the PLC president the previous day.
He also called on Saudi Arabia, which is hosting the talks for Yemen’s southern factions, to allow participants to hold meetings outside the kingdom.
“I call on Saudi Arabia to give an opportunity to meet outside Saudi Arabia, if it is held in Riyadh, it will put pressure on the participants,” he told AFP.
Last week, a high-level separatist delegation said Group disbanded From Riyadh, where they traveled for talks, the STC said the decision was made under pressure, with the group accusing Saudi Arabia of taking over the team.
Later on Thursday, the PLC replaced Zubaidi and Bahshani with two pro-Saudi figures.
Lt. Gen. Mahmoud Al-Subaihi is former Defense Minister and Security and Defense Advisor to PLC Chairman Rashad Al-Alimi.
Salem al-Khanbashi is the governor of Haidramaut.
On Thursday, Saudi Arabia gave Yemen $90 million for two months’ salaries for public servants and service workers, Yemen’s prime minister said, a day after the kingdom pledged $0.5 billion in humanitarian projects.