Yemen’s Bin Mubarak Stresses Anti-Corruption Drive a Week into Premiership

Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak presides over the first meeting of the Yemeni government after being appointed Prime Minister (Saba News Agency)
Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak presides over the first meeting of the Yemeni government after being appointed Prime Minister (Saba News Agency)
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Yemen’s Bin Mubarak Stresses Anti-Corruption Drive a Week into Premiership

Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak presides over the first meeting of the Yemeni government after being appointed Prime Minister (Saba News Agency)
Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak presides over the first meeting of the Yemeni government after being appointed Prime Minister (Saba News Agency)

Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak made fighting corruption a top priority during his first visit as Yemen’s new Prime Minister to the interim capital, Aden, on Tuesday. He vowed to regain control of state institutions seized by the Houthis.
The premier, who also serves as foreign minister, emphasized the need to fight against Houthi attempts to seize control of the state, stressing the importance of activating government bodies, improving services, and easing the hardships of Yemenis.
Bin Mubarak instructed the implementation of internal audits across ministries and government agencies to stop any wrongdoing and hold accountable those responsible, following legal procedures.
He underscored the need for the Central Control and Accountability Agency to fully carry out its duties within the law, focusing on key institutions affecting citizens’ lives and the country’s finances.
The prime minister handed a list of institutions needing oversight to the agency’s head and pledged to act on its recommendations.
At the cabinet’s first meeting, bin Mubarak prioritized addressing economic issues and improving living conditions, including regular salary payments and essential services, particularly in Aden.
The meeting highlighted that supporting Yemen’s government in reclaiming state institutions and protecting its waters is crucial for countering Houthi threats in the Red Sea and maintaining regional stability.
The government meeting reiterated its commitment to peace and welcomed both regional and international efforts to end the conflict in Yemen.
It emphasized the need for a comprehensive and lasting peace based on agreed-upon political frameworks, including relevant UN Security Council resolutions like Resolution 2216.
In another development, Yemen’s Finance Minister, Salem Salih bin Brik, held a meeting in Aden on Tuesday with ministry officials.
He highlighted the importance of preparing a plan to secure public resources, boost non-oil revenues in liberated areas, stabilize the national economy, and improve general conditions.



Abbas Denounces Israeli Gaza Offensive at UN, Insists: 'We Will Not Leave'

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas addresses the 79th United Nations General Assembly at United Nations headquarters in New York, US, September 26, 2024.   REUTERS/Brendan McDermid
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas addresses the 79th United Nations General Assembly at United Nations headquarters in New York, US, September 26, 2024. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid
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Abbas Denounces Israeli Gaza Offensive at UN, Insists: 'We Will Not Leave'

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas addresses the 79th United Nations General Assembly at United Nations headquarters in New York, US, September 26, 2024.   REUTERS/Brendan McDermid
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas addresses the 79th United Nations General Assembly at United Nations headquarters in New York, US, September 26, 2024. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid

The head of the Palestinian Authority denounced Israel and its offensive in the Gaza Strip in front of world leaders Thursday, appealing to other nations to stop what he called a “genocidal war” against a place and people he said had been totally destroyed.
Mahmoud Abbas used the rostrum of the UN General Assembly as he typically does — to criticize Israel. But this was the first time he did so since the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas on Israel that triggered an Israeli military operation that has devastated the Gaza Strip.
Abbas strode to the podium to loud applause and a few unintelligible shouts. His first words were a sentence repeated three times: “We will not leave. We will not leave. We will not leave.”
He accused Israel of destroying Gaza and making it unlivable. And he said that his government should govern post-war Gaza as part of an independent Palestinian state, a vision that Israel’s hardline government rejects.
“Palestine is our homeland. It is the land of our fathers and our grandfathers. It will remain ours. And if anyone were to leave, it would be the occupying usurpers," The Associated Press quoted him as saying.
A nationwide series of campus protests against Israel's operations in Gaza swept the United States in the spring and largely originated at Columbia University, about 70 blocks north of the United Nations.
“The American people are marching in the streets in these demonstrations. We are appreciative of them," Abbas said.
Israel’s campaign in Gaza has killed more than 41,500 Palestinians and wounded more than 96,000 others, according to the latest figures released Thursday by the Health Ministry.

Abbas spent big chunks of his speech at the United Nations talking about the state of life in Gaza, and he painted a bleak picture.
"Entire family names have been written out of the civil record," he said. "Gaza is no longer fit for life. Most homes have been destroyed. The same applies for most buildings. ... Roads. Churches. Mosques. Water plants. Electric plants. Sanitation plants. Anyone who has gone to Gaza and known it before would not recognize it anymore.”
Among his demands, none of which are new: A full Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip — not “buffer zones.” Allowing Gaza's displaced Palestinians — an estimated 90% of the population — to return to their homes. And a central role for Abbas' government in any future Gaza.
“Stop this crime. Stop it now. Stop killing children and women. Stop the genocide. Stop sending weapons to Israel. This madness cannot continue. The entire world is responsible for what is happening to our people in Gaza and the West Bank.”