Yemeni president calls on country to unite, back new presidential council

LONDON: Yemen’s new leader on Monday called on all political and social components, including the media, to unite and support the new presidential council and work together for the sake of the country and its people, the Yemeni SABA news agency reported.
Addressing the nation on the occasion of the Muslim Eid Al-Fitr holiday, Rashad Al-Alimi said: “The Presidential Leadership Council realizes the great responsibility entrusted upon us, and we also know that success will inevitably be achieved through concerted efforts of honest and honorable people, unity of the ranks, and solidarity to the homeland and the people.”
Al-Alimi said since the council took the constitutional oath in the temporary capital, Aden, on April 19, it has immediately began holding meetings and developing executive programs, and has recently concluded two foreign visits to Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
“The visits were successful by all standards, and through them we saw the extent of the sincere brotherly concern for the security and stability of Yemen and its people,” he said, adding that they thanked them for all that they offered and presented to Yemen.
The two visits laid down a clear road map to support the rehabilitation of services and the economy, while support allocated to the Central Bank is already being implemented, he said.
They also agreed to immediately form joint committees to monitor the implementation of commitments in the fields of electricity, energy, health, roads, water and dams, and in the security and military aspects, he added.
Al-Alimi also said discussions focused on efforts to achieve lasting and sustainable peace and they affirmed that they would continue to adhere to the current truce, despite all the violations committed by the Iran-backed Houthi militia, calling for the need to respect it and abide by its terms.
The two-month truce, which began at the start of Ramadan, has been repeatedly violated by the Iran-back militia, particularly in Marib where they are using the halt in fighting to gain a strategic military advantage as they aim to take the resource-rich province from government control.
Al-Alimi was appointed head of the council on April 7 after former President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi transferred his powers to it on the final day of intra-Yemeni talks led by the Gulf Cooperation Council in Riyadh.

Yemeni president calls on country to unite, back new presidential council