![Traffic and pedestrians make their way along a street in Aden on July 29th. [Saleh al-Obeidi/AFP]](/cnmi_am/images/2020/08/18/25562-Yemen-Aden-street-700_496.webp)
Yemen’s Prime Minister-designate Moeen Abdulmalik has been holding consultations with political parties and blocs as part of the process of forming a new government with representatives from all parts of the country.
The push to form a new government comes as part of the power-sharing agreement signed in Riyadh in November between the Yemeni government and the separatist Southern Transitional Council (STC).
Abdulmalik met Monday (August 17th) with leaders of the Yemeni Socialist Party, following a series of meetings with representatives of the political parties and blocs represented in the government.
These included leaders of the General People’s Congress, the Yemeni Congregation for Reform (al-Islah) and Nasserist Unionist People's Organisation.
He kicked off his consultations August 13th with meetings with STC leaders.
During these meetings, Abdulmalik reviewed the responsibilities and duties of the new government, and stressed the need for all political forces to stand with the government and ensure its success.
The goal, he stressed, is to ensure the new government has competent and experienced members who can address the complex crises the country is facing.
These include ending the coup of the Iran-backed Houthis (Ansarallah), rescuing the economy, improving services, eradicating corruption, implementing real and radical reforms at state institutions and controlling public revenues, he said.
He also stressed the importance of the Saudi-proposed mechanism to accelerate implementation of the Riyadh Agreement -- including all of its political, military and security aspects -- on schedule.
In late July, the government and STC accepted the Saudi proposal, under which the STC abandoned its declaration of self-rule of southern provinces, and President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi asked Abdulmalik to form a government.
Hadi at the time appointed a new governor and security chief for Aden.
STC forces begin to withdraw from Aden
A Saudi liaison team, supported by Arab coalition forces in Aden, then began overseeing the implementation of the military aspect of the Riyadh Agreement.
Saudi ambassador to Yemen Mohammed Al Jaber announced August 15th that STC forces were beginning to withdraw from Aden.
On August 16th, an STC battalion, including armoured vehicles, arrived in Abyan from Aden, as part of the implementation of the agreement's military aspect.
“The Saudi co-ordination and liaison team, led by Mohammed al-Rubaie and supported by Arab coalition forces, kicked of their mission of supervising the pull-out of military forces from Aden, separating between the forces in Abyan and returning them to their previous positions,” Jaber said on social media.
The positive spirit shown by the leaders of political parties during their meetings with Abdulmalik demonstrates their commitment to forming a new government, political analyst Abdulmalik al-Youssefi told Al-Mashareq.
“It is important for all political parties and components to support the government in order to improve services in liberated areas and complete the liberation and restoration of remaining provinces controlled by Houthis,” he said.
It is a positive sign that the implementation of the military aspect of the agreement coincides with consultations on the implementation of the political aspect, political analyst Faisal Ahmed told Al-Mashareq.
“This will help implement the agreement as an integrated system that will be capped with the formation of a government of technocrats consisting of 24 ministers with equal representation of the north and south,” he said.
Ahmed urged the various political forces to fully respond to the prime minister’s call to nominate representatives based on competence and experience.
