Yemen’s PLC Establishes ‘Crisis Cell,’ Stresses End to Banking Distortions

The Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council meets in Riyadh with Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalik (Saba News Agency)
The Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council meets in Riyadh with Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalik (Saba News Agency)
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Yemen’s PLC Establishes ‘Crisis Cell,’ Stresses End to Banking Distortions

The Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council meets in Riyadh with Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalik (Saba News Agency)
The Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council meets in Riyadh with Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalik (Saba News Agency)

Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) has ordered the formation of a “crisis cell” headed by Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalik to follow up on economic developments. The PLC also stressed the need to end monetary distortions in the banking market.

Houthi militias, on the other hand, continue to reject proposals to renew and expand the truce.

Instead of agreeing to pay the salaries of civil servants, Houthi leaders are threatening to repeat attacks on oil export ports in government-run areas and restarting battles towards southern governorates.

According to Yemeni sources, PLC head Rashad al-Alimi held a meeting for the ruling council in Riyadh.

All members of the PLC contributed to the discussions. While Sultan al-Errada, Abdurrahman al-Mahrami, Abdullah al-Alimi, and Othman Mujalli were present in person, Aidarous Azaibaid, Tariq Saleh and Faraj al-Bahssani contributed to the meeting via video conference.

“The meeting discussed humanitarian and economic conditions. It also tackled policies required to face the current challenges, including government measures limiting the catastrophic repercussions of the Houthi terrorist attacks on oil facilities and global freedom of trade,” Saba News Agency reported.

“The prime minister provided a detailed report about the latest developments in the national arena and the government's ongoing efforts to handle the economic, services, military and security issues.”

Moreover, Abdulmalik briefed the PLC on policies aimed at maintaining economic, monetary, service and commodity stability, and maintaining the public budget deficit at safe levels, in a way that prevents any side effects on vulnerable social groups.

The PLC, for its part, stressed the importance of “ending monetary distortions in exchange rates, including stopping speculation, depleting reserves of hard currencies, and controlling the value of the national currency, which has achieved relative stability during the last period.”

Also, the PLC “affirmed its support for government policies and moving forward with the implementation of the National Defense Council’s decision to classify the Houthi militia as a terrorist organization.”

The PLC said it will take all measures necessary to dry up funding sources for Houthis, secure national facilities and deter any criminal threats to the interests of citizens.



Lebanon's Speaker Sets Jan. 9 Date to Elect President

FILED - 01 October 2020, Lebanon, Beirut: Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament Nabih Berri speaks during a press conference. Photo: Hassan Ibrahim/Lebanese Parliament/dpa
FILED - 01 October 2020, Lebanon, Beirut: Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament Nabih Berri speaks during a press conference. Photo: Hassan Ibrahim/Lebanese Parliament/dpa
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Lebanon's Speaker Sets Jan. 9 Date to Elect President

FILED - 01 October 2020, Lebanon, Beirut: Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament Nabih Berri speaks during a press conference. Photo: Hassan Ibrahim/Lebanese Parliament/dpa
FILED - 01 October 2020, Lebanon, Beirut: Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament Nabih Berri speaks during a press conference. Photo: Hassan Ibrahim/Lebanese Parliament/dpa

Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri set a Jan. 9 date for lawmakers to elect the country's president, the state news agency (NNA) reported on Thursday.
Lebanon has not had a president or a fully empowered cabinet since October 2022 due to a power struggle.

Israel's offensive against Hezbollah in Lebanon had prompted a renewed bid by some leading Lebanese politicians to fill the two-year-long presidential vacuum.

A ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah took effect on Wednesday under a deal brokered by the US and France, allowing people in both countries to start returning to homes in border areas shattered by 14 months of fighting.

Berri has said that, once there's a ceasefire, he supported the election of a president who doesn't represent "a challenge" to anyone.

The presidency is decided by a vote in Lebanon's 128-seat parliament. No single political alliance has enough seats to impose its choice, meaning an understanding among rival blocs is needed to secure the election of a candidate.