Yemen’s new ministers head to Saudi Arabia to take constitutional oath

Five Yemeni ministers in the new government have left the temporary capital Aden and headed to the Saudi capital Riyadh to take the constitutional oath before President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi.

Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper quoted informed sources as saying that the Ministers of Justice, Badr Al-Ardah, Transportation Abdel Salam Hamid, Social Affairs Muhammad Al-Zaouri, Civil Service Abdel Nasser Al-Wali, and Higher Education Khaled Al-Wasabi have left Aden heading to Cairo on their way to Riyadh to take the constitutional oath before Hadi.

The minister’s departure goes against the terms of the Riyadh Agreement, which stipulates that the ministers should take the oath before the president in Aden.

Aden is still controlled by the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC), with the presidential protection forces unable to enter.

Last Friday, Hadi issued a republican decision to form a new government headed by Moein Abdel-Malek, in implementation of the Riyadh Agreement signed between the government and the STC in early November 2019.

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