Int'l Community Welcomes Yemeni PM’s Return to Aden

Yemeni Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalek heads a meeting in Aden. Saba Net
Yemeni Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalek heads a meeting in Aden. Saba Net
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Int'l Community Welcomes Yemeni PM’s Return to Aden

Yemeni Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalek heads a meeting in Aden. Saba Net
Yemeni Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalek heads a meeting in Aden. Saba Net

The return of Yemeni Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalek to the interim capital Aden following a visit to several governorates has been welcomed by the international community.

In a statement welcoming his return, US Charge d’Affaires Cathy Westley said Thursday that all parties should “work together toward restoring peace and stability, addressing the public’s needs, improving basic services, and promoting economic recovery.”

“We stand with the Yemeni people and support the government’s efforts to realize the hopes and aspirations of all Yemenis for a better future,” she added.

Abdulmalek had made short visits to Shabwa and Hadhramaut governorates.

The EU Delegation to Yemen also welcomed his return to Aden.

“We urge all parties to ensure safe and smooth functioning of the government. Only while in Yemen can the government address the needs of all Yemenis,” it said in a statement on Twitter.

“Parties must commit to the full implementation of the Riyadh Agreement and support the UN-led peace efforts,” it added.

The Heads of missions of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the US also welcomed the return of the Prime Minister to the temporary capital.

"It is vital that the government is fully supported to bring security and stability, and deliver the essential services, including economic reforms, that the people of Yemen desperately need," they said in a joint statement.

"In the context of a deteriorating economic situation, the government must be allowed to resume its work from Aden," said the statement.

"We urge all parties to deliver on their commitments and work together constructively on behalf of the Yemeni people to implement the Riyadh Agreement," they added.



French Foreign Minister in Beirut Despite Israeli Air Strikes

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot (AFP)
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot (AFP)
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French Foreign Minister in Beirut Despite Israeli Air Strikes

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot (AFP)
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot (AFP)

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot arrived in Beirut on Sunday night, his ministry said, making him the first high-level foreign diplomat to visit since Israeli air strikes intensified across the country.
Barrot will hold talks with Lebanese and UN officials. His arrival as the foreign ministry announced that a second French national had been killed in Lebanon, though details were unclear.
“We confirm the death of a second French national,” the French ministry said Sunday, adding that further details will be supplied later.
In Beirut, Barrot will hold talks with Lebanese officials over the current situation and provide French support, particularly humanitarian support, Lebanon’s National News Agency, NNA, reported.
Speaking with Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati on Saturday, Barrot said Paris wanted “an immediate halt to Israeli strikes in Lebanon” and was “opposed to any ground operation.”
Also on Saturday, French Prime Minister Michel Barnier called the situation in Lebanon “extremely serious” and said he was “concerned for the safety” of French citizens there.
But the foreign ministry has so far stopped short of urging French nationals to leave Lebanon.
President Emmanuel Macron’s special Lebanon envoy and former defense minister Jean-Yves Le Drian visited Beirut last week, his sixth trip to the country, urging political forces to come together to elect a president after a long delay.
Le Drian has not spoken to the press about the visit.