Jeddah, Aden- A Yemeni financial official told Asharq Al-Awsat on Monday that the Yemeni government plans to form a central bank parallel to the one in the capital, at a time when three liberated Yemeni provinces had already started boycotting the Central Bank in Sana’a.
His comments came as Saudi Arabia reiterated its calls for all Yemeni parties to adhere to the references of the peaceful solutions to end the conflict in Yemen, which are represented by the initiative of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states and its executive mechanisms, the outputs of the National Dialogue Conference and the relevant United Nations resolutions including resolution 2216.
The financial official, who spoke on conditions of anonymity, said arrangements were currently placed to discuss an alternative choice to the Central Bank in the capital through “appropriate means,” particularly concerning the part linked to the money that the government is expected to receive from the outcomes of the already liberated provinces.
A war is fuming between Houthi rebels, who control the capital where the Central Bank is situated, and the internationally recognized government of Prime Minister Ahmed bin Daghr based in the southern city of Aden.
On Monday, the province of al-Mahra, east Yemen, had announced it was cutting off all links with the Central Bank in Sana’a, while the two provinces of Ma’rib and Adan expect to do the same.
The financial official said he expects several provinces to soon follow the same measures.
In a session held on Monday and chaired by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud in Al Salam Palace in Jeddah, the Saudi Cabinet issued a statement commending the statement issued by the G18 ambassadors group on Yemen and said it was concerned about unilateral and unconstitutional actions carried out by members of the General People’s Congress Party, Houthis and their supporters in Sana’a.
Saudi Minister of Culture and Information Dr. Adel bin Zaid Altoraifi told the Saudi Press Agency his country strongly condemned the terrorist bombing that targeted a wedding party in Turkey, killing and wounding dozens of people.
The minister said Saudi Arabia offered condolences to Turkey, its government, people and the families of the victims, wishing a speedy recovery for the injured, and renewed the Kingdom’s solidarity and support to Ankara in confronting terrorism.
Altoraifi added that the Cabinet condemned the serious escalation and repeated racist attacks conducted by Israeli occupation forces and groups of extremist settlers on Al-Aqsa Holy Mosque.
“These attacks and policies represent a flagrant provocation to the feelings of Muslims for being continuing assault on religious rights in Al-Aqsa Holy Mosque, the violation of all international conventions and the principles of human rights, increasing the deterioration of the situation and its complication and undermining the chances for peace, renewing the Kingdom s call on the United Nations Security Council to move quickly to put an end to all Israeli violations and systematic crimes against the Palestinian people,” the minister said.