Yemeni PM Asserts Efforts to Fight Corruption, Implement Reforms

Yemeni Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalik during the meeting with Central Bank of Yemen (CBY) and Finance Ministry officials (Saba News Agency)
Yemeni Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalik during the meeting with Central Bank of Yemen (CBY) and Finance Ministry officials (Saba News Agency)
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Yemeni PM Asserts Efforts to Fight Corruption, Implement Reforms

Yemeni Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalik during the meeting with Central Bank of Yemen (CBY) and Finance Ministry officials (Saba News Agency)
Yemeni Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalik during the meeting with Central Bank of Yemen (CBY) and Finance Ministry officials (Saba News Agency)

Yemeni Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalik said the government is determined to continue fighting corruption and implement more economic reforms.

Official sources stated that Abdulmalik chaired a meeting in the interim capital Aden with the leaderships of the Central Bank of Yemen (CBY) and Finance Ministry to discuss economic and living conditions.

State-owned Saba agency reported that the meeting was attended by Finance Minister Salim bin Bureik and CBY Governor Ahmed Ghalib. The officials examined the level of implementation of financial and monetary reforms.

The meeting also addressed enhancing transparency, governance, and the subsequent measures in light of the government's policies to achieve economic stability.

It also discussed the coordination between fiscal and monetary policy and aspects of integration to control the exchange rates, increase public revenues, urgently address deficiencies in administrative aspects, combat corruption, and enhance integrity.

The officials reviewed the agreement between the CYB and the Ministry and the measures in coordination between the two entities to tackle some irregularities.

The PM stressed the necessity of uniting all efforts to overcome the difficulties resulting from the exceptional conditions. He also thanked the Coalition to Support Legitimacy led by Saudi Arabia and the UAE for their generous and continuous support for Yemen and its people.

Abdulmalik asserted that the government's reform plan in the economic, financial, and administrative field should be implemented without any delay, lauding the outstanding efforts of the Finance Ministry and the CYB leaderships.

He indicated that the noticeable improvement in the exchange rate came from the reforms, asserting that it will be reinforced shortly by additional measures and support from Yemen's partners and friends.

Abdulmalik promised the situation would witness a significant breakthrough soon, asserting the importance of an "economic battle."

"We will achieve a victory in our economic battle similar to the military victories achieved in Shabwa, Marib, and the rest of the battlefronts against Iran's bloody project in Yemen through its proxies, the Houthi militia."

The Finance Minister presented a report about the Ministry's plan to improve taxes and customs revenues, fight taxes evasion, and boost oil proceeds.

CYB governor provided a report about the fiscal year 2021, and the measures taken in coordination with the government and the Finance Ministry to tackle some irregularities.



Syrian Army Takes Control of Tishrin Dam from SDF

Syria's Tishrin Dam. (File photo)
Syria's Tishrin Dam. (File photo)
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Syrian Army Takes Control of Tishrin Dam from SDF

Syria's Tishrin Dam. (File photo)
Syria's Tishrin Dam. (File photo)

Syrian army troops have deployed near the Tishrin Dam in the eastern countryside of Aleppo province, setting up military positions in what appears to be a step toward assuming control of the facility from the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

Pro-government broadcaster Syria TV cited an official source on Monday as saying the military had entered the outskirts of the Tishrin Dam area and established military outposts in preparation for a handover of the strategic site.

The dam, located near the city of Manbij, has been under the control of the Kurdish-led SDF, which played a key role in the fight against ISIS in northern Syria with the backing of the US-led coalition.

Syria’s transitional president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, and SDF leader Mazloum Abdi signed an agreement on March 10 aimed at integrating all civil and military institutions of the Kurdish-led autonomous administration in northern and northeastern Syria into the Syrian state.

Syrian authorities, the SDF, and Türkiye had reached an agreement, brokered by the United States, for the transfer of the Tishrin Dam to the Syrian government.

Under the deal, the military will deploy forces around the dam, while teams from Damascus have already begun maintenance and upgrading works on the facility.

The agreement aims to bring an end to the fighting that had erupted between Syrian factions loyal to Türkiye, which have integrated into the Syrian army, and the SDF. The clashes, which had persisted for over three months since December 12, have now subsided.

On Thursday, Türkiye’s Ministry of Defense announced that Ankara is closely monitoring the implementation of the agreement regarding the handover of the dam.

The deployment of Syrian forces around the dam comes amid reports of renewed tensions in the area, which had been relatively calm for nearly a month. Syria’s state-run Syria TV reported that the military had sent reinforcements to areas previously affected by clashes with the SDF.

Additionally, reports said the SDF and Syrian forces were on alert after Turkish drones launched an attack near the dam, following the death of a fighter from Türkiye-backed factions in the region. The situation continues to evolve as both sides remain on edge in the strategic area.