The Saudi-Backed Internationally Recognized Government of Yemen Forms a New Cabinet
After years without female representation, three women joined the cabinet, alongside five former Southern Transitional Council (STC) officials, while eight ministers retained their posts.
Profiles of the New Members of Yemen’s Internationally Recognized Government Following the Formation of a New Cabinet
Dr. Shaea Mohsen Al Zindani as Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates.
He was born on 16 September 1954 in Jahaf District, Al Dhale’ Governorate. He has spent decades in diplomacy and public service, holding senior posts including ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Italy, and the United Kingdom, as well as permanent representative to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. He also served as deputy foreign minister at the time of Yemeni unification and led Yemen’s delegation to the Arab foreign ministers meeting on the day unity was declared. Dr. Al Zindani holds a bachelor’s degree in law, postgraduate studies in philosophy, a doctorate in legal philosophy, and an honorary doctorate in diplomatic sciences. He speaks Arabic, English, and is married and has four children.
Moammar Mutahar Mohammed Al Eryani as Minister of Information.
He is the current Minister of Information Culture and Tourism. Al Eryani was born in 1974 and is a Yemeni political figure with a long career in youth affairs media and government. He was appointed Minister of Tourism on 7 November 2014 in the Khaled Bahah government, after previously serving as Minister of Youth and Sports in the Basindwah government. Al Eryani remained in office until the Bahah government resigned on 22 January 2015 following the 2014 Houthi military takeover of Sana’a. He was later appointed Minister of Tourism and then Minister of Information in the government of Dr Ahmed bin Daghr and went on to serve as Minister of Information Culture and Tourism in the second Maeen government. Al Eryani holds a bachelor’s degree in planning and development from the University of Baghdad and a bachelor’s degree in political sciences from the American University in London. He also completed postgraduate studies in political science, with research focused on national identity among youth in Yemen. Over his career, he founded and led several youth and student organizations, established a national newspaper, and held senior roles in the Ministry of Youth and Sports before entering cabinet positions. He currently holds leadership roles in regional and Arab youth councils and has received Arab and international youth awards in 2009.
Nayef Saleh Abdulqader Al Bakri as Minister of Youth and Sports.
Born in 1975, is a Yemeni politician who has served as Minister of Youth and Sports since 14 September 2015, following his appointment in the government of Prime Minister Khaled Bahah. Prior to assuming the ministerial post, he served as Governor of Aden from 20 July 2015 until his appointment to the cabinet. His governorship came in the immediate aftermath of the Battle of Aden, following the expulsion of Houthi forces and units loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh from the city. During this period, Al-Bakri also headed the Leadership Council of the Southern Popular Resistance in Aden. Earlier roles included service as Deputy Governor of Aden until July 2015. Alongside his government positions, Al-Bakri is a senior figure within Yemen’s Islah Party and has been a member of the National Yemeni Coalition opposing the Southern Transitional Council.
Salem Abdullah Issa Al Saqtari as Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Fisheries.
Born in 1969 in the Socotra Archipelago, is a Yemeni military officer and politician. He has served as Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Fisheries since 18 December 2020. He is also a member of the Presidency Council of the Southern Transitional Council. Al-Saqatri began his military career by enrolling in the Military College at Salah Al-Din Camp in Aden in 1987, graduating in 1989 with the rank of Second Lieutenant and a diploma in military sciences. Over the course of his career, he has held several senior security and administrative posts in Socotra. These include service as Director of Security for the Socotra Archipelago from 2012 to 2014, followed by appointment as Director General of Police for Socotra Governorate from 2014 to 2016, after Socotra was declared an official governorate. In 2016, Al-Saqatri was appointed Governor of the Socotra Archipelago, a position he held until June 2017. He later transitioned to national government, where he currently oversees agriculture, irrigation, and fisheries policy at the ministerial level, while maintaining an active political role within the Southern Transitional Council.
Major General Ibrahim Ali Ahmed Haidan as Minister of Interior.
He was born in 1972 in Al Mualla district of Aden. He began his military career after graduating from the Naval College in Al Hudaydah and rose through various command and training positions, later becoming a senior instructor at the college. He completed advanced command and staff training in Oman and further professional training in the United States, and earned a higher fellowship from the Supreme Military Academy in Sanaa. He took part in the 2015 battle to liberate Aden and later oversaw the rehabilitation of the Third Presidential Protection Brigade. He has served as minister of interior since December 2020 and holds the rank of major general.
Tawfiq Abdulwahid Ali Al Sharjabi as Minister of Water and Environment.
Born in 1969 in Taiz Governorate, is a Yemeni politician serving as Minister of Water and Environment since 18 December 2020. Academic background includes a bachelor’s degree in engineering from Sana’a University earned in 1995 and a master’s degree in business administration completed in 2012. Professional experience spans senior roles in the water sector, including service as Acting Minister of Water and Environment in 2019, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Water and Environment in the Government of National Accord in 2011, Deputy Head of the General Authority for Water and Sanitation, and Director General of Projects within the same authority.
Mohammed Mohammed Hizam Al Ashwal as Minister of Industry and Trade.
Al Ashwal is Yemen’s Minister of Industry and Trade, a position he has held since 2021. He was born on 27 July 1965 in Beit Al Ashwal village in Al Saddah District, Ibb Governorate. He holds a bachelor’s degree in politics and economics and a postgraduate diploma in international relations from Sana’a University. Over a long public service career, he has held senior roles in the Ministry of Endowments and Guidance, including Deputy Minister for Hajj and Umrah Affairs and Director General positions at both ministerial and capital level. He previously led national financial review and performance evaluation teams within the Central Organization for Control and Audit. His experience includes strategic planning, governance, public administration, and international engagement, with participation in many regional and international conferences. He is married and has six children.
Dr. Qasim Mohammed Qasim Bahibeh as Minister of Public Health and Population
Born in 1973 in Marib Governorate, is a Yemeni politician and medical doctor. He was appointed Minister of Public Health and Population on 18 December 2020 as part of the second government of Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalik. Academic qualifications include a Doctorate in Otorhinolaryngology (ENT) from the Faculty of Medicine at Suez Canal University, Egypt, awarded in 2011. Earlier degrees include a Master’s degree in ENT from the same university in 2005 and a Bachelor’s degree in General Medicine and Surgery from the Faculty of Medicine at Sana’a University, obtained in July 1998.
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Judge Badr Abdo Ahmed Al Aradah as Minister of Justice.
Yemeni judicial figure serving as Minister of Justice in the internationally recognized government based in Aden. Born on 10 June 1964 in Wasab Al-Aali, Dhamar Governorate, he is married and the father of four children. Prior to his ministerial appointment, Judge Al-‘Aridah served as a member of the Technical Office of the Public Prosecutor and as a member of the Council of the Higher Institute of the Judiciary. He holds the judicial rank of Senior Public Prosecutor (First Class). Professional experience includes participation in numerous workshops and training programs covering criminal justice, judicial enforcement, electoral appeals, human rights, and public freedoms. International engagement includes participation in a regional discussion forum in Uganda in 2019 focused on strengthening cooperation and mutual legal assistance. Additional training includes courses in computer and information technology.
Major General Taher Ali Aida Al Aqili as Minister of Defense.
He is a prominent Yemeni military leader from Al-Aqili village in Bani Suraym, Amran Governorate. He served as Chief of the General Staff from 2017 to 2020 following a presidential decree issued in 2017 that promoted him to the rank of major general. Since 2020, he has continued his national service as one of the military advisers to President Rashad, providing strategic and operational counsel to the country’s senior leadership. Dr. Al-Aqili holds a strong academic and professional background that includes a bachelor’s degree in Arabic Language, a master’s degree in Strategic Studies from Sudan, and doctoral level studies in Strategic Studies. His military education includes advanced artillery training with the Saudi Armed Forces, a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in Military Sciences from the Command and Staff College where he ranked among the top of his class, and a fellowship from the National Defence College in Sudan. Throughout his career, he has held numerous command, staff, and instructional positions, including company and battalion command, senior teaching roles at the Command and Staff College, leadership of the 9th Infantry Brigade, and service as Director of the Operations Room in Al Jawf Governorate.
Engineer Badr Mohammed Mubarak Basalmah as Minister of Local Administration.
Badr Mohammed Mubarak Basalmah was born on 1 September 1958. He is married and the father of five children. He holds a master’s degree with honors in chemical engineering from the Carl Schorlemer College in Germany, earned between 1979 and 1985, and was recognized as an outstanding student for three consecutive years. He later received a diploma with distinction from the Netherlands in administrative control and management information systems. He speaks Arabic, English, and German. Basalmah has extensive experience in development planning, institutional building, monitoring and evaluation systems, and industrial and commercial management. He has held senior roles in public institutions and international cooperation programs, including leadership positions with the German Technical Cooperation agency, advisory roles in national development strategies, and executive positions in chambers of commerce in Aden and Hadramout. Badr also participated in the National Dialogue Conference and negotiations related to the southern issue. He has not been affiliated with any political party before or after Yemeni unification.
Mute’ Ahmed Qasim Damaj as Minister of Culture and Tourism.
He is a Yemeni political advisor and senior government official with extensive experience in public administration and policy coordination. Mute’ served as Secretary General of the Council of Ministers from January 2021 to December 2024, a position that holds historical significance in his family, as his late father, Ahmed Qasim Dammaj, a prominent political figure and writer, was the first to hold the same post following the 26 September 1962 Revolution. Prior to this appointment, Dammaj served as Political Advisor to the Prime Minister from 2018 to 2021, providing analysis and advice on political and economic issues and supporting government communication and coordination efforts. He is a member of the National Dialogue Conference, representing a generation of younger professionals involved in Yemen’s political transition. His appointment was welcomed by political and social circles and by youth groups, who viewed it as recognition of competence and integrity and as consistent with the outcomes of the National Dialogue calling for the inclusion of youth in senior state leadership positions. He holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Sana’a University and is fluent in English.
Dr. Anwar Mohammed Ali Kalshat Al Mahri as Minister of Technical Education and Vocational Training.
A Yemeni academic and public official who previously held the position of Minister of Electricity and Energy. He currently serves as President of Al-Mahra University, following his appointment by Republican Decree No. 24 of 2022, issued on 26 October 2022, alongside the establishment of the university under Republican Decree No. 23 of the same year, which designated Al-Ghaydah as its main campus. Born on 14 April 1983 in Al-Ghaydah, Al-Mahra Governorate, Dr. Kalshat completed primary and secondary education in the city, graduating from Hassan bin Thabit Secondary School in the 2002–2003 academic year. University studies began at the Faculty of Education in Al-Mahra in 2004, leading to a bachelor’s degree in education in 2008. Further academic training included specialization in English language education at Hadramout University for Science and Technology. In October 2020, a PhD in Linguistics was awarded by Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University in India, based on a dissertation titled Language Maintenance and Shift: The Mehri Language as a Case Study of the Mehri Community in Al-Ghaydah. Professional experience includes service as Secretary General of the Mehri Language Center for Studies and Research, work within the Al-Mahra Governorate Tourism Office, and appointment in 2020 as Vice Dean for Student Affairs at the Faculty of Applied and Human Sciences in Al-Mahra. Academic and administrative work reflects a focus on higher education development, linguistic preservation, and institutional building within Al-Mahra Governorate.
Engineer Adnan Mohammed Omar Al Kaf as Minister of Electricity and Energy.
Engineer Al Kaf is a Yemeni political and social figure from the city of Aden. He previously served as a member of the Presidium of the Southern Transitional Council and as a deputy governor of Aden for development affairs. Al kaf is known for his work on service and development issues in the city and for his regular public commentary on public affairs. He was active in Aden’s political landscape during critical periods and expressed positions aligned with the Southern Transitional Council, particularly on service delivery and local governance matters.
Marwan Faraj Saeed Bin Ghanem as Minister of Finance.
Marwan Faraj Bin Ghanem is a Yemeni public official and former Director General of the General Investment Authority. On 21 July 2012, former President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi appointed him Chairman of the Board of the Arab Yemeni Libyan Holding Company. He also worked at the Arab Investment & Export Credit Guarantee Corporation (DHAMAN), an Arab regional organization with its headquarters in Kuwait. DHAMAN aims to promote capital mobility into Arab countries and enhance Arab exports worldwide. He is the son of the late Hadrami Faraj Saeed Bin Ghanem, former prime minister of the Republic of Yemen. He comes from a well known national family with a long record of public service. His father served as prime minister from 1997 to 1998 and held senior roles in planning, parliament, and diplomatic representation at the United Nations and in Switzerland.
Dr. Afrah Abdulaziz Al Zuba as Minister of Planning and International Cooperation
She is a Yemeni development and peace-building professional with more than two decades of experience in governance reform, humanitarian response, and national dialogue. Her work has focused on strengthening public institutions and supporting political and social processes during periods of transition and conflict. In March 2021, Al-Zouba was appointed Managing Director of the Executive Bureau for the Acceleration of Aid Absorption and Support for Policy Reforms, a role she later concluded. Responsibilities included improving government institutional capacity, coordinating donor support, and enhancing the effective use of foreign assistance to advance policy reforms. In 2019, service included advising the Prime Minister on humanitarian relief. Earlier roles included serving as Deputy Secretary-General of the National Dialogue Conference and the Constitution Drafting Committee between 2013 and 2015.
Al-Zouba has been actively involved in national and international peace-building efforts, including participation in dialogue and negotiation processes such as the Kuwait peace talks, with a focus on reconciliation and political settlement. Alongside government work, leadership has extended to community development initiatives addressing poverty reduction, health, education, and women’s empowerment, particularly within marginalized communities. Academic qualifications include a Master of Business Administration from the University of Science and Technology in Sana’a, a master’s degree in Community Health from the National University of Malaysia, and a Bachelor’s degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences from Sana’a University.
Salem Abu Bakr Mohammed Thabet Al Awlaqi as Minister of Civil Service and Insurance.
He is a southern Yemeni politician. He was formerly a member of the Southern Transitional Council Presidency but had a public fallout with the group. He was born in Wadi Yashbum in Al Saeed District in Shabwa Governorate. He is known as one of the younger figures of the Southern Movement, which calls for the independence of southern Yemen. In March 2015, he joined the Southern Resistance to confront the Houthi advance into southern cities. He was wounded and captured by Houthi forces, then released in June of the same year. In May 2017, he was selected as a member of the Presidency of the Southern Transitional Council, which was announced in Aden. He later served as the official spokesperson of the council from 2017 to 2019. He also headed the Southern National Media Authority. On 7 April 2022, he was appointed to the Consultation and Reconciliation Commission formed by former President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi as part of a broader political process to address the Yemeni conflict. On 30 April 2025, Prime Minister Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak appointed Salem Thabet Al Awlaqi as head of the General Authority for Lands, Survey, and Urban Planning. His appointment came amid growing public criticism over land corruption and illegal appropriation of state property in Aden. On 9 September 2025, Al Awlaqi submitted his resignation from the position. He stated that powerful interest groups obstructed the implementation of his decisions. His resignation was widely viewed as a protest entrenched corruption and interference that blocked reform efforts within the authority.
Judge Ishraq Fadl Al Muqtari as Minister of Legal Affairs.
A Yemeni lawyer and human rights activist who has worked in the field of protecting and promoting human rights since 2005. Her work focuses on legal protection and advocacy for women and children, human rights promotion, advocacy campaigns, and conflict resolution. Since 2015, she has served as the spokesperson and an investigative judge at the National Commission to Investigate Alleged Human Rights Violations, which examines violations committed by all parties to the conflict in Yemen. She has contributed to the preparation of eight comprehensive periodic reports on human rights violations and has been the Yemen coordinator for the Geneva Institute for Human Rights since 2010. She is also the director of the legal department at the Yemeni Women’s Union in Taiz. Previously, Al Maqtari worked with Oxfam on legal protection and access to justice programs, where she oversaw legal aid for detained women and survivors of violence, contributing to the release of more than one thousand detainees and the correction of hundreds of legal cases. She is a leading regional trainer on national and international human rights protection mechanisms and has trained security, judicial, and civil society actors across several Yemeni governorates. Al Maqtari has participated in regional and international conferences on women’s rights, enforced disappearances, and child rights, and has authored studies and guides on discriminatory laws, gender based violence, and documentation of human rights violations. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Sharia and Law from Sana’a University and a master’s degree in law from Assiut University. She speaks Arabic and basic English.
Dr. Adel Abdulmajid Alawi Al Abbadi as Minister of Education.
Dr. Adel Abdulmajid Alawi Al Abbadi is a Yemeni academic specializing in educational administration. Born on 24 September 1966 in Radfan, Halmeen District, Lahj Governorate, he is married and has three children. He currently serves as Vice President of the University of Aden for Academic Affairs and works as a professor at the Faculty of Education in Aden. His academic background includes a master’s degree in educational sciences and a PhD in education with a focus on educational administration from the Russian Federation. He joined the University of Aden in 1996 and was promoted to full professor in 2009. His career includes senior roles such as Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Education in Saber, Director General of Academic Affairs at the University of Aden, Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs, and Acting Chair of the Academic Council. Dr. Al Abbadi has published extensively in local and international journals, supervised and examined numerous master’s and doctoral theses, and taken part in many academic conferences. His publications include academic books on educational administration, research methodology, and quality management in higher education. He has received several awards from the University of Aden in recognition of academic, research, and administrative contributions.
Dr. Amin Noman Mohammed Al Qudsi as Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research.
He leads a specialized center that carries out studies and provides technical consultancy in water, mining, environmental, and geological fields. This organization, the Al Nu’man Office for Geophysical, Geological, and Environmental Studies, has been managed by him for decades.
Dr. Shadi Saleh Basarah as Minister of Communications and Information Technology.
A Hadrami-Yemeni academic and researcher and a member of the Presidency Board of the Hadramout National Council (HDC). He was born in January 1982 in Aden. He is a founding member of the National Consensus Movement and the Director of Al-Rasheed Research Center in Aden, where he is engaged in academic research and policy analysis. Basurra is a professor of computer science at the University of Reading. Since October 2025, he has served as Head of the Department of Computer Science and Professor of Computer Science. He works on site and leads teaching, research, and academic strategy within the department.
Before joining the University of Reading, he spent more than eleven years at Birmingham City University. He was Professor and Head of the Department of Computer and Data Science from August 2018 to October 2025. Earlier roles there included Professor, Associate Professor, Senior Lecturer, and Lecturer in Computer Science. His work covered curriculum design, programme leadership, accreditation, and teaching across core computer science modules such as Python, Java, software development, data structures, algorithms, and final year projects. He has supervised PhD students and remained research active throughout his academic career.
He holds a PhD in Computer Science from the University of Bath, supported by Toshiba and the Yemeni government. He also earned an MSc in Distributed Systems and Networks from the University of Kent and a BSc in Computer Science from the University of Exeter. Earlier in his career, he worked as a research fellow at Birmingham City University, a research assistant and teaching assistant at the University of Bath, an intern researcher at the National Institute of Informatics in Japan, and a software engineering intern at Sony, contributing to sports analytics and intelligent broadcasting systems.
Professor Basurra’s father was Saleh Ali Omar Basurra, a Yemeni politician and former senior official. He was born in Mukalla in 1952. He graduated from the University of Aden in 1976, earned a master’s degree from Leipzig University in 1982, and completed his PhD in modern and contemporary history in 1986. He later served as President of the University of Aden, President of Sana’a University, and Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research in 2006 and again in 2007. He was a member of several professional and charitable organizations and published widely in history and education, with active participation in regional and international conferences.
Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Ali Bamga as Minister of Oil and Minerals.
A Hadrami-Yemeni academic and political figure aligned with Ahmed Obaid bin Dagher, the Yemeni politician who has serves as Speaker of the Shura Council since 2021. Dr. BaQa currently serves as Secretary General of the Southern National Coalition and Deputy Chairman of the Main Preparatory Committee of the Hadramout Inclusive Conference, with political activity focused on coordination, dialogue, and representation of Hadramout and southern issues. He is an Associate Professor in the Department of Petroleum Engineering at the Faculty of Engineering and Petroleum, Hadramout University. In 2017, service included the position of Head of the Hadramout Branch of the Yemen Oil Company, overseeing fuel supply and administrative operations at the governorate level.
Mohsen Ali Haidara Qasim Al Omari as Minister of Transport.
He is a long-time employee of Yemenia Airways, Yemen’s national carrier, and a career pilot. Mohsen is widely respected and well liked. Mohsen is credited as part of the airline’s executive leadership that helped keep the company operating through difficult periods. He serves as Deputy Director General for Commercial Affairs.
Engineer Hussein Awad Saeed Al Aqrabi as Minister of Public Works and Roads.
A Yemeni engineer and public official. He was appointed by former Prime Minister Dr. Salem Saleh Bin Breik as Chairman of the Board of the Roads and Bridges Maintenance Fund in the temporary capital, Aden. Al Aqrabi is known for strong technical and administrative experience built over more than three decades in public works and infrastructure. He has held senior leadership positions at the Ministry of Public Works and Roads, including Deputy Minister for Public Works and Director General of the Public Works Office in Aden. His work included direct supervision of major infrastructure projects, most notably the coastal road expansion project. He holds a master’s degree in civil engineering from a former Soviet university and has taken part in numerous regional and international training programs and conferences on housing, reconstruction, and urban development, including programs in Japan, Egypt, Turkey, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates.
Mukhtar Omar Saleh Al Yafii as Minister of Social Affairs and Labor.
Mukhatar previously served as an official in the Southern Transitional Council and held the position of Deputy Head of the Southern Media Authority. He is also known as one of the southern activists.
Mashdal Mohammed Omar Ahmed as Minister of Human Rights.
A lawyer from Al-Baidha governorate, he is a legal and administrative professional with a master’s degree in private law from Ain Shams University. His career began in legal practice before moving into executive roles at the National Commission to Investigate Alleged Human Rights Violations. He later served as financial and administrative director, then secretary general. The role included oversight of monitoring, documentation, reporting, and coordination with international organizations.
Sheikh Turki Abdullah Ali Al Wadiei as Minister of Endowments and Guidance.
Sheikh Turki bin Abdullah Al Wadaei is Yemen’s Minister of Endowments and Guidance. He is a religious scholar from Sa’dsah and one of the leaders of the resistance against the Houthis. He belongs to the Wadi’ah tribe, known as the homeland of the prominent scholar Muqbil bin Hadi Al Wadaei. Al Wadaei is known for his modest character and adherence to Salafi teachings, and is regarded as a committed and capable public figure.
Dr. Abdullah Ali Hussein Abu Huriyah as Minister of State for Parliamentary and Shura Council Affairs.
In August 2010, he earned a master’s degree from Sana’a University after completing a study on improving organizational effectiveness at the General Corporation for School Textbook Printing. He comes from a nationally known family in Sanhan, south of Sana’a, with a long history of republican struggle against the monarchy and public service. Abu Huriyah has held several senior state and political roles. He serves as Assistant Secretary General of the Political Bureau of the National Resistance and heads its political and external relations department. Abu Huriyah is also a member of the internationally recognized government’s negotiating team on detainees and prisoners. His behind the scenes role in negotiations in Switzerland contributed to successful prisoner exchange agreements that led to the release of more than one thousand detainees with international support. Earlier in his career, Abu Huriyah served as Deputy Director of the Office of the Presidency in 2016. He also worked as Executive Director of the General Corporation for School Textbook Printing, where he led major institutional and technical reforms. Known for a calm and professional approach, his work reflects a commitment to dialogue, state building, and public responsibility during a critical period for Yemen.
Judge Akram Naseeb Ahmed Al Ameri as Minister of State.
A Yemeni judge and public figure from Seiyun, Hadramout, born on 20 November 1984. He is married and has two daughters and one son. He holds a bachelor’s degree in law from the University of Aden and a master’s degree in Sharia and legal sciences from the Higher Judicial Institute in Sana’a, earned with very good distinction. Al Ameri has built his career in the judiciary and public service. He served as a judge at the Seiyun Primary Court, later becoming head of the Juvenile Court in Hadramout, and acting head of Seiyun Primary Court. Since March 2022, he has been a member of the Consultation and Reconciliation Commission supporting the Presidential Leadership Council, and was later appointed its deputy head. Alongside his judicial work, he has been actively involved in political and social dialogue, including participation in Yemeni Yemeni consultations sponsored by the Gulf Cooperation Council and negotiations related to the Riyadh Agreement. He currently serves as Secretary General of the Hadramout Inclusive Conference and has held several leadership roles within the conference since its establishment. Al Ameri has also contributed to legal and political research, focusing on judicial discretion, Islamic jurisprudence, and contemporary legal issues. His career reflects a combination of judicial expertise, political engagement, and public service rooted in Hadramout and national affairs
Abdulghani Hifzallah Jameel as Minister of State and Secretary of the Capital Sana’a.
Abdulghani is a Yemeni public official from the Khawlan tribe. He was born in 1976 in Jahana District, Khawlan, Sana’a Governorate. Abdulghani is married and has five children, three sons and two daughters. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Sharia and Law and is a member of the Presidential Permanent Committee of the General People’s Congress. Over the past decade, Jameel has served as Minister of State and Mayor of Sana’a. His career includes senior security, administrative, and local government roles, including commander of security at Sana’a International Airport, head of anti smuggling at the Customs Authority, director general at the Ministry of Local Administration, adviser to the Cooperative and Agricultural Credit Bank, deputy governor of Sana’a Governorate, and governor of Sana’a Governorate. He also served as a member of the local council of Sana’a Governorate and as secretary general of the local council for two electoral terms.
Abdulrahman Sheikh Al Yafii as Minister of State and Governor of Aden Governorate.
Born in 1974 in Sheikh Othman, Aden, is a Yemeni public official currently serving as Minister of State and Governor of Aden, appointed in 2026. He is married and the father of six children. Al-Yafaei holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economic Sciences with a specialization in Business Administration from Aden University, as well as a Diploma in Computer Programming and Maintenance from Damascus University, Syria, obtained in 1998. Early professional experience included work with the Public Electricity Corporation in Lahj between 2004 and 2005, followed by employment in the education sector in Aden in 2011. During the 2015 Houthi assault on Aden, Al-Yafaei played an active role in the Southern Resistance, serving as a founding member of the Resistance Council and overseeing internal security in the city. He participated in military operations that led to the liberation of Aden and Lahj, extending to Bab al-Mandab and Dhubab. Following the liberation of Aden, he contributed to the formation of the Aden Protection Brigade, the first military unit established after the city’s liberation, and later helped establish four Support and Reinforcement Brigades by presidential decree, which were tasked with counterterrorism operations in Aden and Lahj. Al-Yafaei later led a force of approximately 3,000 resistance fighters in operations along the Saudi border, including the liberation of Al-Khadhra crossing in Al-Buqa’a and advancing toward Kataf District in Saada Governorate. In 2016, he was promoted to the rank of Captain by former President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi and appointed Deputy Governor of Aden. In 2017, Al-Yafaei was among the founders of the Southern Transitional Council (STC) and was appointed a member of its Presidency Council. Political engagement continued through participation in the Riyadh Agreement consultations in 2019, followed by service on the security track and counterterrorism team during the Riyadh Consultations in 2022. The same year, he was appointed a member of the Consultation and Reconciliation Commission supporting the Presidential Leadership Council, with ministerial rank.
Ahmed Saleh Ahmed Al Awlaqi as Minister of State.
A media commentator and a Southern Yemeni-American political figure who serves as an advisor to President Rashad. He is the Director of the Aden Research Center in Washington, D.C., and the official spokesperson for the Southern Youth Forum in the United States.
Dr. Ahd Mohammed Salem Jaasous as Minister of State for Women’s Affairs.
A Yemeni human rights and social development professional. She holds a master’s degree in business administration with a specialization in marketing, as well as a higher diploma in English. She speaks Arabic and English. She currently works as a UNICEF coordinator with the Social Welfare Fund in Aden and serves as Director of the Women’s Department at the fund. Previously, she worked as Head of the Productive Families Department in Abyan at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor.
Jaasous has participated in numerous training programs on civil society engagement, marketing, field surveys of the private sector, and women’s labor rights, in cooperation with organizations such as Oxfam, the World Bank, and the University of Aden. She also served as coordinator for the Cooperative Communities Project in southern Yemen in partnership with Search for Common Ground and worked for eight years as administrative officer at Akoun Foundation for Rights and Freedoms. She has been actively involved in awareness activities and academic, social, and community initiatives.
Waleed Mohammed Mohammed Al Qadeemi as Minister of State.
From the Tihama region, he serves as First Deputy Governor of Al Hudaydah Governorate and is a member of the Permanent Committee of the General People’s Congress.
Waleed Ali Ismail Al Abara as Minister of State.
He serves as Chairman of the Yemen and Gulf Center for Studies, an independent, non profit research center established in Aden in 2023 under a license from the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor. The center focuses on producing rigorous and accessible knowledge on Yemen and its regional environment, with the aim of supporting public policy development and improving decision making. Under his leadership, the center conducts research, studies, policy analysis, and future oriented assessments, and organizes seminars and conferences. Its work covers regional and international studies, public policy, security, economics, women and peace, society and development, grants and aid, and environment and climate.
