SANAA, YEMEN (AP) – Yemen’s exiled president stepped aside and transferred his powers to a presidential council yesterday, as international and regional efforts to end the country’s long-running civil war gained momentum with a two-month truce.
Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates played a role in President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi’s decision, quickly welcoming it with a pledge of USD3 billion in aid. The head of the new council has close ties to Riyadh.
Whether the switch will expedite an end to the grinding war remains to be seen, as United Nations-(UN) sponsored negotiations have been at an impasse and fighting, airstrikes and missile attacks continued until late last month. The Houthis did not immediately comment on Hadi’s announcement.
Yemen expert at the International Crisis Group Peter Salisbury described the power transfer as ‘a big deal’. The development, he tweeted, is the “most consequential shift in the inner workings of the anti-Houthi bloc since war began”.
Hadi said the newly established council will run the internationally recognised government and lead negotiations with the Houthis, according to a statement aired on state-run media.
The move is meant to unify the anti-Houthi camp after years of infighting and disputes, and was almost certainly orchestrated in Riyadh, where Yemeni factions were meeting over the past week to discuss efforts to end the war.
Hadi also sacked Vice President Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar, a powerful military figure, and also delegated al-Ahmar’s powers to the presidential council.
The presidential council is chaired by Rashad al-Alimi, an advisor to Hadi and former interior minister with the government of late strongman President Ali Abdullah Saleh.
Hadi’s announcement came as Yemeni talks called by the Saudi-based Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) entered their final day yesterday.
