Doubts whether Yemen's new PM can bring change

Ahmed bin Mubarak resigned as prime minister blaming inability to make necessary reforms

Salem bin Braik was named as the new prime minister of Yemen's internationally recognised government. AFP

A change in Yemen's leadership will not bring about the reforms that are needed to solve the country’s issues a decade after the outbreak of war, analysts who spoke to The National believe.

Ahmed bin Mubarak resigned as prime minister of Yemen's internationally recognised government on Saturday after a year and three months in office, saying he was unable to fully exercise his powers.

Finance Minister Salem bin Braik was named as his successor by Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council, which also named Mr bin Mubarak as an adviser to the ruling body.

Abdulghani Al Iryani, a senior researcher at the Sana'a Centre for Strategic Studies, told The National that the change of personnel “is not the solution to government ineffectiveness”.

“For a decade, very little work was done on building the institutions and passing the foundational laws that make them effective,” he said. “People are not the problem, lack of institutions is.”

Many officials have cited rising tensions between Mr bin Mubarak and the head of the council, Rashad Al Alimi, as the reason for the prime minister's departure. He wrote in his resignation letter that he “could not exercise my constitutional powers and take the necessary decisions to reform government institutions or implement rightful government changes.”

Ahmed Nagi, the Crisis Group’s senior analyst for Yemen, told The National that tensions between the two result from the absence of clear council rules or a “defined framework for how the council should operate”.

“This institutional ambiguity has led to overlapping responsibilities between the PLC and the government, creating continuing friction, regardless of who holds the position of prime minister,” Mr Nagi said.

Ahmed bin Mubarak resigned as Yemen's prime minister on Saturday after a year and three months in charge. AFP

Mr bin Mubarak is a former Yemeni ambassador to the United States. He is known as a staunch adversary of the Iran-backed Houthi rebels, who abducted him in 2015 and held him for several days.

Previously, he was chief of staff of the presidential office and Yemen's envoy to the United Nations. He became foreign minister in 2018 and prime minister in February 2024.

A unified vision for Yemen gone wrong

The council was appointed in 2022 with the aim of unifying the anti-Houthi bloc, but has since been divided into two.

One is loyal to council member Aydarous Al Zubaidi, who chairs the Southern Transitional Council. The second includes Mr Al Alimi and Sheikh Sultan Al Aradah, the powerful governor of energy-rich Marib province.

Yemen faces challenges including the Houthi rebellion and its supporters, as well as economic difficulties. EPA

“The new Prime Minister was selected because he is seen as a non-confrontational figure and faced no objections from PLC members,” Mr Nagi said.

Mr bin Braik's position as Minister of Finance “allows the PLC to signal that it is prioritising the worsening economic crisis in government-controlled areas.”

Resolving these challenges requires more than a change in leadership, it demands a unified vision and genuine commitment from both the PLC and the government to work together," he said.

Ahmed Nagi,
Yemen senior analyst at Crisis Group

“However, resolving these challenges requires more than a change in leadership, it demands a unified vision and genuine commitment from both the PLC and the government to work together,” he said.

In order for changes to occur there must be laws to properly stipulate relations between the council and the internationally recognised government, Mr Al Iryani said.

“That would be the first step in state building that could put the government on a track of reform and effectiveness,” he said.

Decade-long war

Yemen has been embroiled in civil war since 2014, when Iranian-backed Houthi rebels seized the capital of Sanaa, forcing the internationally recognised government into exile in Saudi Arabia.

A Saudi-led coalition intervened at the request of the government months later and has been battling the rebels since 2015 to try to restore the government.

The conflict has caused hundreds of thousands of deaths and triggered one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, although the fighting decreased significantly after a UN-negotiated six-month truce in 2022. Yemenis across the country face catastrophic economic conditions that have plunged millions into poverty.

The change in government comes at a time where the US has increased its attacks on the Houthis in Yemen.

Daily strikes on Houthi-held areas have been taking place since March 15 after President Donald Trump ordered a new campaign against the rebels.