Yemen PM in Cairo to Discuss Issues of Common Interest

The Egyptian prime minister receives his Yemeni counterpart in Cairo on Sunday, October 10, 2021. (Yemeni Ministry of Information)
The Egyptian prime minister receives his Yemeni counterpart in Cairo on Sunday, October 10, 2021. (Yemeni Ministry of Information)
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Yemen PM in Cairo to Discuss Issues of Common Interest

The Egyptian prime minister receives his Yemeni counterpart in Cairo on Sunday, October 10, 2021. (Yemeni Ministry of Information)
The Egyptian prime minister receives his Yemeni counterpart in Cairo on Sunday, October 10, 2021. (Yemeni Ministry of Information)

Yemeni Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalik kicked off an official visit to Cairo on Sunday to coordinate with Egypt on issues of common interest.

According to an official statement, Abdulmalik headed a high-level ministerial delegation and his visit is at the official invitation of his counterpart Mostafa Madbouly.

His accompanying delegation included Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Waed Badheeb, Minister of Communications and Information Technology Najeeb al-Awj, Minister of Transport Abdulsalam Hamid, Minister of Petroleum and Minerals Abdulsalam Baaboud and Minister of Public Health and Housing Qassem Baheeh.

Abdulmalik returned to the interim capital Aden on September 28 after several months during which he was not able to return due to disputes with the Southern Transitional Council (STC) and failure to implement the security and military aspects of the Riyadh Agreement.

Yemenis have pinned hope on the government taking the necessary measures on the economic, services and military levels.

His government has announced measures to save the crumbling economy, services, and sharp drop in the value of the currency.

These include depositing provincial revenues in the government’s account, imposing restrictions on imports of luxury goods and benefiting from the country’s special withdrawal rights from the International Monetary Fund.

The government ordered the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the relevant authorities to intensify control over commodity prices, prevent price manipulation and coordinate with the Chambers of Commerce and Industry in this regard to ensure protecting consumers from any unjustified hikes in prices, the Saba news agency reported.

It also stressed “the illegality of any contracts or internal transactions in foreign currency,” urging the need to limit internal dealings in the national currency, including in real estate rental and others.

“The government’s return to work from the interim capital, Aden, and its implementation of the Riyadh Agreement will improve its ability to address challenges using state tools and institutions, complete the battle to restore the state and end the Iranian-backed Houthi coup,” the PM was quoted as saying.



Hezbollah Chief Says It Reviewed Truce Proposal, Ceasefire in Israel’s Hands

 Lebanon's Hezbollah leader Sheikh Naim Qassem delivers a speech from an unknown location, November 20, 2024 in this still image from video. Reuters TV/Al-Manar TV via Reuters
Lebanon's Hezbollah leader Sheikh Naim Qassem delivers a speech from an unknown location, November 20, 2024 in this still image from video. Reuters TV/Al-Manar TV via Reuters
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Hezbollah Chief Says It Reviewed Truce Proposal, Ceasefire in Israel’s Hands

 Lebanon's Hezbollah leader Sheikh Naim Qassem delivers a speech from an unknown location, November 20, 2024 in this still image from video. Reuters TV/Al-Manar TV via Reuters
Lebanon's Hezbollah leader Sheikh Naim Qassem delivers a speech from an unknown location, November 20, 2024 in this still image from video. Reuters TV/Al-Manar TV via Reuters

Hezbollah chief Sheikh Naim Qassem said in a televised speech aired on Wednesday that his group had reviewed and given feedback on a US-drafted ceasefire proposal to end fighting with Israel, and that a halt to hostilities was now in Israel's hands.

Qassem made his comments in a pre-recorded address aired a few hours after US envoy Amos Hochstein said he would head to Israel to try to close a deal on a truce, after two days of meetings with Lebanese officials including two sit-downs with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, a Hezbollah ally.

Qassem said his Iran-backed group had seen the draft US deal and provided feedback.

"These comments were presented to the US envoy and they were discussed with him in detail," Qassem said. "The comments we presented show that we approve this track of indirect negotiations through Speaker Berri."

But he rejected the notion that Israel would be able to keep striking Hezbollah even after a truce is reached, saying that Israel should not be allowed to breach Lebanon's sovereignty.

Qassem said a deal now depended on Israel's response and the "seriousness" of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu - and that Hezbollah would keep negotiating and fighting at the same time.

Specifically, he said any strikes on central Beirut would be met with Hezbollah fire onto Tel Aviv. Hezbollah launched missiles at Tel Aviv on Monday, after deadly Israeli bombardments hit the heart of Beirut on both Sunday and Monday.

Israel's year-long battle with Hezbollah in Lebanon has killed more than 3,500 people, the vast majority of them in the last two months, and left much of the country's south, east and the southern suburbs of Beirut in ruins.

After a ceasefire takes effect, Hezbollah would help rebuild Lebanon alongside the Lebanese state and remain a player in Lebanon's political scene, Qassem said, with an "effective" role in electing a president. Political divides in Lebanon have kept the post vacant for more than two years.