Yemen PM: Int’l Support for Yemen Includes Security, Defense Sectors

Yemeni Prime Minister Ahmed Awad Bin Mubarak during a previous meeting with the British Ambassador to Yemen (Saba News Agency)
Yemeni Prime Minister Ahmed Awad Bin Mubarak during a previous meeting with the British Ambassador to Yemen (Saba News Agency)
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Yemen PM: Int’l Support for Yemen Includes Security, Defense Sectors

Yemeni Prime Minister Ahmed Awad Bin Mubarak during a previous meeting with the British Ambassador to Yemen (Saba News Agency)
Yemeni Prime Minister Ahmed Awad Bin Mubarak during a previous meeting with the British Ambassador to Yemen (Saba News Agency)

Yemeni Prime Minister Ahmed Awad Bin Mubarak said international support for Yemen will go beyond politics and economics to include security and defense, aiming to strengthen the government’s ability to secure the country and its waterways.
Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat on the sidelines of the kickoff of an international ministerial meeting in New York to mobilize support for the Yemeni government, Bin Mubarak said: “For the first time, Yemen will be an active partner, and the international community will listen to its voice in a way that reflects a clear shift in the partnership between the Yemeni government and its supporters.”
The Yemeni government’s new plan, set to be unveiled at the New York meeting, has received backing from the United Kingdom, represented by Middle East Minister Hamish Falconer.
The event is expected to feature the official launch of Britain’s Yemen-led support initiative, known as “TAFFY,” which brings together Yemeni, British, and international experts and technical advisers working directly in Yemen.
According to British sources, TAFFY will also support Yemen’s coast guard by providing new equipment, enhancing capabilities, and offering advanced training. Minister Falconer is also set to announce an increase in the UK’s humanitarian aid to Yemen.

Bin Mubarak said his government’s plan, to be presented in New York, aims to shift from limited aid to a sustainable economic strategy that supports vital sectors and boosts private-sector partnerships.
“This effort is coordinated with the international community, including the UK, and supported by the Arab Coalition, led by Saudi Arabia and the UAE,” Bin Mubarak said, adding that it reflects backing for Yemeni state institutions under the Presidential Leadership Council (PLC).
He noted that the visit focuses on political and economic issues and comes after recent Red Sea attacks, stressing the need for international support to help Yemen through this critical phase.
Bin Mubarak said international support is shifting toward backing his government’s economic plan, approved by the Cabinet and the PLC.
The plan aims to move from limited aid to a sustainable economic strategy, support key sectors, and strengthen partnerships with the private sector.
The Yemeni premier added that the New York meetings and international commitments will also focus on security and defense to help the government secure Yemen and its waterways.



Syria and Neighbors Urge Israel to Stop Bombings

Israeli Merkava tanks in the buffer zone between Israel and Syria near the village of Majdal Shams in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, 08 May 2025. (EPA)
Israeli Merkava tanks in the buffer zone between Israel and Syria near the village of Majdal Shams in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, 08 May 2025. (EPA)
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Syria and Neighbors Urge Israel to Stop Bombings

Israeli Merkava tanks in the buffer zone between Israel and Syria near the village of Majdal Shams in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, 08 May 2025. (EPA)
Israeli Merkava tanks in the buffer zone between Israel and Syria near the village of Majdal Shams in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, 08 May 2025. (EPA)

The foreign ministers of Syria, Türkiye and Jordan, meeting Monday in Ankara, called on Israel to cease attacks on Syria and to withdraw troops from the country.

Israel has carried out hundreds of strikes on Syria since longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad was ousted in December, often targeting military sites and killing dozens of people.

Israeli officials have also described Syria's new authorities as extremists and claimed to defend the country's Druze minority with a recent spate of attacks.

Türkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told a press conference with his Jordanian and Syrian counterparts that "Israel's expansionism poses a significant threat to the security, stability and future of Syria."

"This must come to an end. And we are on the same page about this. Syria needs to be supported to prevent terrorist organizations from settling in this region," Fidan added, noting that Syria shares a 900-kilometer (560-mile) border with Türkiye.

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani told the joint press conference that "our borders are constantly violated by Israeli attacks".

The Israeli strikes are "calculated escalations aimed at destabilizing Syria and dragging the region into a new cycle of conflict", Shaibani said, decrying "systematic violations of international law and explicit provocations".

He called on the international community to put Israel under "increased pressure" to halt the bombings.

Jordan's top diplomat, Ayman Safadi, said attacks on Syrian soil "will not bring security to Israel and will bring nothing to Syria except ruin and destruction".