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.



Kurdish YPG Should Stop Delaying Syria Integration, Türkiye Says 

This handout photograph taken and released by the Turkish Foreign Ministry press service shows Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan (R) meeting with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani in Ankara on August 13, 2025. (Handout / Turkish Foreign Ministry / AFP)
This handout photograph taken and released by the Turkish Foreign Ministry press service shows Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan (R) meeting with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani in Ankara on August 13, 2025. (Handout / Turkish Foreign Ministry / AFP)
TT
20

Kurdish YPG Should Stop Delaying Syria Integration, Türkiye Says 

This handout photograph taken and released by the Turkish Foreign Ministry press service shows Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan (R) meeting with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani in Ankara on August 13, 2025. (Handout / Turkish Foreign Ministry / AFP)
This handout photograph taken and released by the Turkish Foreign Ministry press service shows Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan (R) meeting with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani in Ankara on August 13, 2025. (Handout / Turkish Foreign Ministry / AFP)

The Kurdish YPG militia, which spearheads the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), should stop "playing for time" and abide by its integration agreement with the Syrian government, Türkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Wednesday. 

NATO-member Türkiye has been one of Syria's main foreign allies after the ousting of Bashar al-Assad last year. 

The SDF, which controls much of northeast Syria, signed an agreement with Damascus in March to integrate into the Syrian state apparatus. Ankara considers both the SDF and YPG as terrorist organizations. 

" Türkiye will not be comfortable unless its security concerns in Syria are addressed," Fidan told a joint press conference with his Syrian counterpart Asaad al-Shaibani in Ankara. 

"Our sole concern is that all ethnic and religious groups in Syria continue their existence without posing a threat to any country, without having armed, terrorist elements on their territory, within the unity and integrity of Syria," Fidan said. 

"A new era has begun in the region and there's a new process in Türkiye. They should benefit from those positive developments," Fidan said, referring to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militant group's decision to disband and disarm. 

Türkiye views the YPG as a PKK extension but the YPG has previously said Abdullah Ocalan's call did not apply to it, contradicting Ankara's view. 

The SDF has been in conflict with Türkiye-backed Syrian armed groups in northern Syria for years.