Yemen’s Prime Minister, Salem bin Brik, has resigned from his post, and Shayea Muhsen al-Zindani has been tasked with forming a new government. The announcement, made late Thursday, signals a significant shift in the country’s leadership.
According to reports, the outgoing Prime Minister submitted his resignation to Rashad al-Alimi, the head of the Presidential Leadership Council. Shortly after, Dr. Shayea Muhsen al-Zindani was appointed as the new Prime Minister and given the mandate to assemble a new cabinet.
This development comes just hours after President al-Alimi appointed two new members to the Presidential Leadership Council, replacing two whose membership was terminated. The official Yemeni News Agency reported that Mahmoud Ahmed Salem al-Subaihi and Salem Ahmed Saeed al-Khanbashi were appointed as members, with the latter retaining his position as Governor of Hadramaut.
Earlier in the day, the Presidential Leadership Council decided to fill the vacancies within its membership and return the government and all state institutions to operate from within Yemen. This decision followed the termination of membership for Aidarus al-Zubaidi and his deputy, Faraj al-Bahsani.
These changes occur amidst a backdrop of political and military developments. In early December, clashes escalated between forces of the Southern Transitional Council (STC) and government forces, leading to the STC temporarily seizing control of the Hadramaut and al-Mahra governorates. Subsequently, government forces regained control of these areas.
In January, Saudi Arabia called for all southern Yemeni factions to participate in a conference aimed at developing a comprehensive vision for a just resolution to the southern issue. The STC has long advocated for the secession of southern Yemen, alleging marginalization by successive governments, claims which the authorities deny, maintaining their commitment to the unity of Yemeni territory.
In addition to the southern issue, the conflict between the government and the Houthi group continues to plague Yemen.
