Yemen Gets New Government Aimed at Solving Crisis
THERAN (Tasnim) - Yemen announced a new 36-member government intended to take the impoverished country out of political crisis, the state news agency Saba said.
Formation of the new cabinet under a peace deal agreed on September 21, the day Shiite Huthis seized the capital, had been delayed because of tensions between the Houthis and their political rivals.
The new government includes four women, one of whom takes the information and culture portfolio. Four members of the outgoing cabinet were reappointed and three more changed portfolios.
Career diplomat Abdullah al-Saidi becomes foreign minister, and the new defence minister is General Mahmud al-Subaihi, who was commander of the 4th Military Region.
Political police chief General Jalal al-Ruishen becomes interior minister.
On November 1, the main political parties signed a new agreement, sponsored by UN envoy to Yemen Jamal Benomar, for the formation of a government of technocrats.
Under the accord, representatives of the Houthis and their rivals, the Al-Islah (Reform) Islamic party, mandated President Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi to form a government and committed to support it.
"It is a compromise agreed to overcome the question of sharing out ministerial portfolios between the various groups" behind the political stalemate, signatory Abdel Aziz Jubari of the liberal Justice and Construction party told AFP at the time.
In the wake of the new agreement, Benomar warned in an interview with AFP that without the rapid formation of a government, tensions between Shiites and Sunnis were likely to increase, sinking the country deeper into crisis.
