Foreign Minister and Expatriates Takes Constitutional Oath Before PLC President

  Riyadh

Dr. Afrah Abdulaziz Al-Zouba took the constitutional oath before His Excellency President Dr. Rashad Mohammed Al-Alimi, President of the Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), today Wednesday, following her appointment as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates.

Following the oath-taking ceremony, President Al-Alimi met with the Foreign Minister and congratulated her on the confidence placed in her appointment. He wished her success in carrying out her national responsibilities. He expressed hope that her appointment as the first woman to head Yemen’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs would mark the beginning of a new phase for Yemeni diplomacy. He said the ministry should play a stronger and more effective role in defending the state’s interests and enhancing Yemen’s regional and international standing.

President Al-Alimi stressed that the current stage requires a shift from traditional diplomacy to proactive and dynamic diplomacy capable of leading the international debate on Yemen, building strategic partnerships, defending national interests, and moving beyond reactive engagement and protocol-driven relations.

The President emphasized that one of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ foremost priorities in the coming period is to consolidate the national narrative and prevent the Iranian-backed Houthi terrorist militias from exploiting any potential vacuum or continuing to distort facts. He affirmed that the time has come for the state to speak with one voice, grounded in international law, documented facts, and relevant UN Security Council resolutions.

President Al-Alimi stated that the responsibilities of Yemen’s diplomatic missions during this exceptional period extend well beyond representing the state. They also include the critical task of dismantling the misleading narratives promoted by the Houthi militias over the past years and exposing them as the party truly responsible for the suffering of the Yemeni people.

He pointed to the militias’ responsibility for destroying the country’s resources, including the assets of the national carrier (Yemenia Airlines), restricting the travel of millions of Yemenis, undermining their livelihoods, exporting instability, threatening the Red Sea, the Bab al-Mandab Strait, and international shipping lanes. They are responsible for dragging Yemen into successive crises in service of the Iranian regime’s agenda. At the same time, he noted that the Yemeni state, with the support of its loyal brothers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, continues to advance initiatives aimed at easing humanitarian suffering, facilitating travel, and safeguarding the freedom of domestic and international trade.

The President added that every Yemeni embassy should become a platform for defending the Republic of Yemen and its supreme national interests. He said every ambassador should serve as a responsible voice of the state, capable of presenting the facts and countering disinformation campaigns. He also stressed the importance of strengthening international confidence in Yemen’s internationally recognized state institutions and mobilizing all available resources in support of the national battle to restore the state.

President Al-Alimi also praised the strategic partnership with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He described it as a fundamental pillar of the joint efforts to support Yemen and its people, restore state institutions, reinforce security and stability, and alleviate humanitarian suffering. He commended the Kingdom’s sustained political, economic, developmental, and humanitarian support, as well as its continued commitment to sponsoring peace efforts and strengthening Yemen’s state institutions.

In contrast, the President said the Iranian regime continues to employ armed militias to destabilize the region, threaten neighboring countries, target international waterways and economic facilities, and undermine prospects for peace. He noted that the recent attacks carried out by Iran’s proxies across the region reflect the continuation of this destabilizing approach, which poses a threat to international peace and security.

President Al-Alimi also commended the efforts of Prime Minister Dr. Shaya’a Al-Zindani during his tenure as Minister of Foreign Affairs in launching an institutional reform program for the ministry. He noted that the initiative has strengthened efficiency and integrity in appointments, enhanced the readiness of Yemen’s diplomatic missions, developed the capacities of young diplomatic personnel, and rationalized public spending. He said these reforms would enable the ministry to better fulfill its mission and strengthen Yemen’s presence in regional and international forums. They would also help the ministry better serve the interests of Yemeni citizens while defending the country’s sovereignty and constitutional institutions.