Yemen’s PLC Shows Commitment to Rebuilding State, Institutional Reform

Head of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council Rashad Al-Alimi with the new governors of Hadhramaut and Socotra. (Saba News Agency)
Head of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council Rashad Al-Alimi with the new governors of Hadhramaut and Socotra. (Saba News Agency)
TT
20

Yemen’s PLC Shows Commitment to Rebuilding State, Institutional Reform

Head of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council Rashad Al-Alimi with the new governors of Hadhramaut and Socotra. (Saba News Agency)
Head of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council Rashad Al-Alimi with the new governors of Hadhramaut and Socotra. (Saba News Agency)

Since assuming power on April 7, Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) has been tirelessly mobilizing to restore legitimate institutions in the war-torn nation while working on unifying ranks against the Iran-backed Houthi militias.

Many observers predict that more reforms will be announced for different institutions and sectors in Yemen.

PLC head Dr. Rashad Al-Alimi recently replaced four ministers in the legitimate government, including defense and energy ministers. Alimi also named new ministers for the power and public works portfolios.

Mabkhoot bin Mubarak bin Madhi was named governor of the oil-producing Hadhramaut region in the south, and Raafat Ali Ibrahim was appointed governor of the Socotra island in the Arabian Sea.

Alimi appointed Lieutenant-General Mohsen al-Daeri as defense minister and Said al-Shamasi as energy minister.

Manea Saleh was named minister of power, and Salim Mohammed was named minister of public works.

Well-informed Yemeni sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that discussions are underway for the PLC issuing more decisions as part of reform aimed at reinstating structural legitimacy of civil and military institutions.

According to sources, the cabinet reshuffle was preceded by the formation of the joint security and military committee.

The newly formed committee is currently working to restructure military and security forces and unify their leadership under the ministries of defense and security.

The PLC has also discussed a proposal to form a higher committee for sovereign and local revenues, and another for development and reconstruction projects, sources added.

A direction towards forming supervisory and technical committees reflects the PLC’s ambitions for administrative and financial reforms as it seeks to fulfill its local and international obligations.

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, political analyst Fares al-Beel praised the PLC’s drive towards reform.

“Alimi and PLC members are well aware of the great pit that Yemen has fallen into and are working to save the country,” he remarked.



Syrian Security Forces Detain Cousin of Toppled Leader Assad

A giant picture of Syrian President Bashar Assad lies on the ground as a Syrian opposition fighter stands nearby, inside the Presidential Palace in Damascus, Syria, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Omar Sanadiki)
A giant picture of Syrian President Bashar Assad lies on the ground as a Syrian opposition fighter stands nearby, inside the Presidential Palace in Damascus, Syria, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Omar Sanadiki)
TT
20

Syrian Security Forces Detain Cousin of Toppled Leader Assad

A giant picture of Syrian President Bashar Assad lies on the ground as a Syrian opposition fighter stands nearby, inside the Presidential Palace in Damascus, Syria, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Omar Sanadiki)
A giant picture of Syrian President Bashar Assad lies on the ground as a Syrian opposition fighter stands nearby, inside the Presidential Palace in Damascus, Syria, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Omar Sanadiki)

Syria's security forces have detained Wassim al-Assad, a cousin of toppled leader Bashar al-Assad, state news agency SANA said on Saturday.

Wassim al-Assad was sanctioned by the United States in 2023 for leading a paramilitary force backing Assad's army and for trafficking drugs including the amphetamine-like drug captagon, Reuters said.

Bashar al-Assad was toppled by the opposition factions in December and fled to Moscow. Most of his family members and inner circle either fled Syria or went underground.

Syria’s new security forces have been pursuing members of the former administration - mainly those involved in the feared security branches accused of rights abuses.

Rights groups have called for a fully-fledged transitional justice process to hold them to account.