Saudi Arabia hosts international meeting to back Yemen’s government

By Mohammed Sameai
SANAA, Yemen / ISTANBUL (AA) – Saudi Arabia on Wednesday hosted a high-level international meeting in Riyadh to rally support for Yemen’s newly formed government, bringing together senior Yemeni officials, donor countries and multilateral institutions.

The gathering of the Yemen Partners Group was held at the headquarters of the Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yemen and co-chaired by the United Kingdom, the Yemeni government and the World Bank, with participation from UN agencies and key international donors.

Yemeni Prime Minister Shaya Al-Zindani took part via video link, while Central Bank Governor Ahmed Ghaleb attended in person. UN Special Envoy Hans Grundberg and the ambassadors of Britain, France, Japan and Germany were also present, according to the Saudi program.

Yemen’s state news agency Saba said the meeting reviewed mechanisms to align international support with the new government’s priorities, particularly economic recovery, institutional reform and service delivery.

Addressing the session, Zindani described the current stage as decisive, saying the government is working to streamline political and military structures and consolidate national decision-making within a clearer institutional framework.

He said the partners’ meeting marks a shift toward a more results-driven approach, aimed at channeling available resources efficiently to support peace, stability and sustainable development.
The Riyadh meeting was the fifth of its kind since the Yemen Partners Group was launched in September 2024.

Last week, Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council announced a 34-member cabinet led by Zindani, who also retains the foreign affairs portfolio. The new government includes 10 ministers from the previous cabinet and three women.

The cabinet formation followed weeks of consultations in Riyadh to ease tensions between the government and the Southern Transitional Council and to forge a workable political arrangement for the next phase.

*Writing by Tarek Chouiref