Yemen Monitor / Newsroom:
The Yemeni Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Dr. Shayea Al-Zindani, confirmed that Saudi support has represented and continues to represent the “key pillar” in preventing the collapse of the Yemeni state and economy, pointing to its role in maintaining the stability of the national currency and the continuation of public services.
In an interview published by the Saudi newspaper Okaz, Al-Zindani said that the support provided by the Kingdom included direct financial grants to the Central Bank, oil derivatives allocated for electricity, alongside projects by the Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yemen and aid from the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre.
He added that this support “formed a lifeline that maintained the stability of the national currency and the continuous provision of services to citizens under near-impossible conditions.”
He explained that the Yemeni government places improving the living and service conditions of citizens at the forefront of its priorities, alongside fulfilling its obligations toward state employees according to the available capabilities.
On economic matters, Al-Zindani said that a meeting, which he described as “pivotal,” was held by the government in the temporary capital, Aden, focusing on balancing the mitigation of living burdens with moving forward on economic and structural reforms.
He noted that the most prominent decisions taken included approving a 20 percent cost-of-living allowance for all state employees, authorizing the payout of suspended annual bonuses for the years 2021 through 2024, and addressing stalled job settlements that have been pending for more than 13 years.
He also spoke about the decision to liberalize the customs dollar rate and form the Supreme Committee for Tenders, explaining that these measures aim to correct price imbalances, boost public revenues, and improve the efficiency of resource management.
He pointed out that the government is also working to combat dual employment and clean up payroll records by activating bank accounts for state employees in both the civil and military sectors.
Regarding reforms, Al-Zindani stressed that government decisions align with the directives of the Presidential Leadership Council, particularly on files concerning governance, transparency, anti-corruption, and improving the performance of public institutions.
He indicated that reactivating the Supreme Committee for Tenders comes as part of efforts to reform the government procurement system and ensure the protection of public funds.
Al-Zindani extended a message of thanks to Saudi Arabia, under the leadership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, expressing the “gratitude of the Yemeni government and people for the supportive brotherly stances.”
He also called on the international community, donors, and financial institutions to provide direct economic and financial support to assist government reforms, in light of what he described as the “economic war” waged by the Houthi group against the state’s capabilities.
He addressed Yemeni citizens by emphasizing that the government understands the scale of the ongoing suffering and is working to alleviate it, improve services, and enhance economic and administrative stability, despite the challenges and exceptional circumstances the country is going through.
