Sana’a, May 4, (dpa/GNA) – Yemen’s veteran Finance Minister Salem bin Braik has been appointed prime minister of the internationally recognized government, as the war-torn country continues to be roiled by a severe economic crisis.
Rashad al-Alimi, the head of the Saudi-backed Presidential Leadership Council that holds the reins of power in the government-controlled areas in divided Yemen, decreed bin Braik’s appointment, replacing Ahmed bin Mubarak who resigned on Saturday.
Al-Alimi also decreed that members of the government continue to undertake their tasks, Yemen’s official news agency SABA reported late Saturday.
Yemen has been embroiled in a disastrous power struggle since 2014, between government forces, supported by a Saudi-led alliance, and the Iranian-linked Houthi rebels. The Houthis control large areas in the north, including the capital Sana’a.
Bin Mubarak said in his resignation, from the post he held since February last year, that he had faced a “lot of difficulties and challenges,” including the inability to use his constitutional powers and reshuffle the government.
His resignation came amid public discontent due to the decline of the local currency to record lows and the collapse of essential services such as electricity.
The Yemeni currency has lost more than 100% of its value since the formation of the Presidential Leadership Council in April 2022.
The United Nations considers Yemen’s conflict a humanitarian disaster. The war has taken a heavy toll on the infrastructure of the impoverished country.
GNA
PDC