The head of the Presidential Leadership Council in Yemen, Dr. Rashad Al-Alimi, issued a clear and direct warning against obstructing the implementation of sovereign decisions or attempting to circumvent them, stressing that the current stage that the country is going through cannot tolerate any kind of duality in decision-making or disruption of the work of legitimate state institutions.
During his inspection of government institutions, Al-Alimi emphasized that sovereign decisions are the cornerstone of restoring the state's authority and ensuring the stability of services provided to citizens. He pointed out that any delay or selectivity in implementing these decisions serves the interests of those seeking to undermine the state and weakens the legitimate government's position in confronting escalating economic and security challenges.
Political context and challenges of the transitional phase
This warning comes at a highly sensitive time in Yemen's modern political history, specifically since the formation of the Presidential Leadership Council in April 2022, which aimed to unify the ranks of the various factions opposed to the Houthi movement. The Presidential Leadership Council faces numerous challenges, including the need to integrate military and security formations and unify financial and economic decision-making—complex issues that require strict adherence to the chain of command and decisions issued by the highest authority.
Observers of Yemeni affairs believe that Al-Alimi's statements reflect internal tensions that could hinder the urgent reforms demanded by the international community and regional donors. Recent history of the conflict in Yemen demonstrates that the fragmentation of sovereign decision-making was one of the most significant vulnerabilities exploited by the coup factions to expand militarily and politically, making unified decision-making today an existential necessity, not merely an administrative procedure.
Economic and international repercussions
On the economic front, sovereign decisions are closely linked to efforts to rescue the national currency and curb inflation. Any circumvention of the Central Bank's decisions or the fiscal policies approved by the Presidential Council directly leads to a depreciation of the Yemeni rial, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis that the United Nations classifies as one of the worst in the world. Therefore, the presidential warning carries both humanitarian and economic dimensions that directly affect the lives of ordinary citizens.
Internationally, the Presidential Leadership Council enjoys broad support from the Arab Coalition led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, as well as from the international community, represented by the United Nations and major powers. Implementation of sovereign decisions is considered a key indicator of the Yemeni parties' seriousness in moving towards peace and stability. Therefore, any obstruction of these decisions could lead to a decline in international confidence and the freezing of financial and political support necessary for reconstruction and economic recovery.
Al-Alimi concluded his directives by emphasizing that the supreme national interest must rise above all narrow partisan or regional considerations, calling on all officials in the state to bear their historical responsibilities at this critical moment.
