Yemen new ministers, First decisions and tasks

People are eagerly looking forward to know the decisions and changes that the new ministers will do in their new consensus government, on their early days in office. There are so many rumors over their tasks and decisions. This report reviews the most important decisions in their first days, after their appointment.   


Prim Minister The Prime Minister Mohammed Salem Basindwa began his duties by holding a meeting with leaders and directors of departments and specialists across in the Secretariat of the Cabinet and the Prime Minister’s Office.

 Then Basindwa met the Japanese ambassador in Yemen, during the meeting they discussed resuming the implementation of development projects funded by Japan in Yemen during the coming period after Japan reopen the embassy in Sana’a.

The Japanese ambassador announced that his country will increase development assistance provided to Yemen and provide necessary aids to the new government to be able to overcome the current obstacles that face Yemen in this phase.

 Minister of Finance  There were rumors over the first decision taken by Sahkr al-Wajih, Minister of Finance, saying that he had removed President Saleh’s pictures from the offices as well as directions of stopping all appropriations as well as any financial dues to the staff other than the payroll. In a visit of the

Yemen Observer paid on the next day of al-Wajih’s day in office, it discovered that the first rumor was not true.

 Husein al-Wisabi,  from the Minister’s office director denied the second rumor ensuring that the minister has taken no decisions and he is still asking for reports.in a meeting with the staff he stressed that he would not execlude any one, pointing out that this stage requires working away from partisan and favoritism. 

Other sources said that the first minister’s decision was to the Central Bank, for approving the signatures of the new ministers, and cancelling the approval of signatures of any former minister, after December 10, 2011.

 Minister of Human Rights  The first work undertaken by the Minister of Human Rights Horia Mush-hoor is her visit to the Change Square as the first Minister of the Government of National Reconciliation, headed by Mohammed Salem Basandwah to do this. 

The Minister discussed the position of detainees who were arrested during the protests that had swept the Yemeni cities. The visit has been in coordination with the human rights organizations, such as Hood organization. The Minister affirmed that her ministry is serious in tackling the detainees’ affairs, the acceleration of their release and to hold accountable those who are behind their arrest.

 Minister of Transport  The Minister of Transport in the National Reconciliation Government, Wa’ad Ba Thaib, has visited on his arrival to Sana’a following his appointment the leader of the southern  Hirak Hassan Ba O’um.  During the meeting the minister communicated the greetings of the Prime Minister Mohamed Basindwah to Ba O’um and assured him of his interest on his health.  He listened to an explanation about his illness that requires treatment abroad. he was sent abroad for treatment.

The minister prior to his arrival to Sana’a to be sworn in, has paid inspecting visits to the institutions and bodies that are within the scope of the supervision of his Ministry of Transport in Aden Governorate, starting it with Aden International Airport as he was leaving Aden.  In accordance with the directions of Prime Minister Basindwa, Dr. Ba Thaib has informed the leaders of the Ministry of Transport of the intention of  the government to reinstate the employees who had been fired for their political affiliation, especially  those who were forcibly suspended after 1994 war.


Minister of Information The new minister of information in the Government of National Reconciliation Ali Muhammad al-Amrani said, “The current government has several priorities, first of all end armed manifestations, and consolidation of security, stability and dialogue with youth to end the sit-ins and provision of basic services to citizens,” According to al-Amrani the new government in Yemen is government of unity and peace, not a government for exclusion or revenge and will work in the next phase to achieve security and stability of the country.”
 This came in his first statement since the formation of National Reconciliation Government of Yemen.

 “The spirit of tolerance must reach every home, family, and tribe in Yemen, in order to restore security and stability to the country,” he said. According to a source in the ministry, the new minister demand from Deputy Minister of Information Abdu Al-Janadi,(spokesman of the last government), not to speak on behalf of the Government of National Reconciliation, and cancellation of his weekly press conferences, but al-Janadi denied that.

The new minister al-Amrani was one of the members of the General People’s Conference Party (GPC) (headed by President Ali Abdullah Saleh) and he with others broke away from the GPC for public and private reasons. recently, he joined the opposition.

 Minister of Youth For his part, New Minister of Youth Muammar al-Iryani began his first acts to defend himself against an aggressive campaign accusing him of rigging the bachelor’s degree from the University of Baghdad. Al-Iryani Mocked of information and rumors that were circulating on some of sports sites that said al-Iryani not named in the list of successful students who obtained a bachelor’s degree from the University of Baghdad.

 “If they did not like my degree from the University of Baghdad, there are other bachelor’s degree from an American university” he said.

 Minister of Electricity According to source in the ministry, the new minister of electricity Saleh Sumai give time to the ministry deputies, general managers, and engineers between three days to a week to repair the lack of electricity in the capital and other provinces.

The source conformed that the technical team of the General Electricity Corporation who is in charge of reform the towers that were destroyed may go a long way in the reform process and they will be completed the linkage these towers with the Marib gas station within a few days. Finally the maintenance teams at the weekend managed to reach “Thomh” directorate in Nahim north of Sana’a - to repair a tower carrying a stream of Marib gas station. The Marib gas station was hit for more than 40 attacks, led to the exit from the service, amid mutual accusations between the government and the opposition of being behind it. 

Also eight stations in the capital Sana’a disrupted due to lack of diesel. The Ministry of Electricity also faces considerable obstacles including the refusal of the population to pay the bills, which amounted to millions of Y.R.
Minister of Interior Some sources talk about inability of the new Minister of Interior of access to the headquarters of his work on the first day because of widespread insurgency in the streets near the Ministry and the surrounding buildings. 

As will as the New government decided to return suspending employee because of political reasons including who are from the southern movement , Sa’adah war and who were dismissed  after 1994 war.


The Minister of Interior ordered to release all the detainees who were arrested because of the events in Yemen during the past ten months The decision may contain 1400 detainees who were arrested in the capital since last February the start of the protests. 

 Minister of Public Health Dr Ahmed Qassim al-Ansi, Minister of Public Health and Population said that  the priorities of the ministry in the next stage is to repair the damage of health facilities during the last ten months due to the political crisis through which the country and review the health policy in general and the assessment and also review the distribution policy of graduates and doctors to focus on rural areas.


While Ministers of Communications and Education were satisfied with the formation of committees to prepare ministries’ plans that will be submitted to Parliament for a vote of confidence.        

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