What the Houthi government reshuffle means for Yemen

After eight years in power, the Houthi-led government in Sanaa, which is not recognised by the United Nations, was reshuffled last week, marking a new phase in priorities.

The Houthi Supreme Political Council President Mahdi Al-Mashat appointed a new prime minister, Ahmed Alrahawi, tasking him with forming a new government.

It is the first time a government in Sanaa has been reshuffled since 2016, when the Houthis and former president Ali Abdullah Saleh agreed to form a partnership government comprising 31 ministers.

The cabinet formed last week consists of 19 ministers, with the Houthi leadership calling it the government of Change and Development.

The reshuffle is part of a new Houthi governance and military strategy, which intends to confront various challenges, including the group's war with international forces and the likely eruption of hostilities with local opposition groups.

New priorities

In its first meeting on 15 August, the new Sanaa-based government said that its top priorities will be the "improvement of public services" and "confronting aggression against Yemen at the economic, military, and political levels".

The new Sanaa-based government was announced at a time when the Houthi group is involved in an exchange of attacks with Western forces in the Red Sea, including the US and Britain. The reshuffle, therefore, can be seen as part of the group's preparations for a prolonged war with local and external forces amidst an ongoing Red Sea battle.

Since January this year, US and UK forces have bombed several sites in Houthi-controlled provinces, leaving 73 dead and 171 wounded, according to Houthi movement chief Abdulmalek Al-Houthi.

American-British aerial operations are part of the Western response to Houthi attacks on shipping lanes in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, which the group says are intended to put pressure on Israel to end its war on Gaza.

In his speech on 15 August, new PM Ahmed Alrahawi said the government restructuring is the first step to reforms. "The successful change requires cooperation between the people and the government, particularly in light of the complicated circumstances and the comprehensive war targeting the country."

The likely renewal of war

All parties to the conflict in Yemen, the Houthi group in the north and the UN-recognised government in the South, have been readying for war, and the new government in Sanaa is likely part of preparations for a potential new round of conflict.

Today, the de facto authorities in Sanaa have lofty ambitions, including the departure of all foreign forces from Yemen, the takeover of oil and gas resources, and obtaining recognition from the region and the world. The motive for war, therefore, remains powerful.  

UN special envoy to Yemen Hans Grundberg has warned against the renewal of fighting in Yemen. "We are continuing to witness military preparations and reinforcements accompanied by continuous threats of a return to war," he told the Security Council last week.

"This serves as a stark reminder of how volatile the situation is along the Yemeni frontlines."

Yemen's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Abdullah Al-Saadi, said last week that the Houthi group insists on prolonging the conflict, which will only exacerbate human suffering and further thwart regional and international peace efforts.

He called on the Security Council and the international community to "shoulder their responsibilities in pressuring the Houthis" in order not to drag Yemen and its people from one war to another.

Conflicting reactions

When the Houthi group took over Sanaa in September 2014, barely anyone anticipated that it would rule Yemen for years to come. Today, however, North Yemen has a new government, the members of which were selected based on the Houthi leadership's approval.

With this new cabinet, civilians in Yemen have expressed conflicting reactions.

Basheer, a 35-year-old employee in the customs authority in Sanaa, says that the new government will introduce different ideas and programs that help improve the living conditions of the people and mitigate the bureaucracy in government offices.

"The Houthi leadership is serious about change and reforms. It wants to prove to the public that it can solve many issues to mitigate civilian suffering. I am optimistic about such a reshuffle," he told TNA.

However, others are less positive. Abdulla Ali, a government schoolteacher in Sanaa, said the misery of the population in Houthi-controlled areas will persist whether the government is restructured or not.

According to the United Nations, about half of the country's population - or 18.2 million people - require humanitarian aid this year.

"The government in Sanaa devotes the bulk of the resources to military operations, giving little attention to other sectors, such as health and education. Millions of people are hungry, sick, and illiterate. The people here experience a multi-faceted misery," Ali told The New Arab.

"We [Yemeni civilians] need the new government in Sanaa to address the issue of the unpaid salaries of public employees and the improvement of health, education and electricity services."

According to the schoolteacher, the Sanaa-based government does not prioritise these issues as its primary concern is gaining ground on the frontlines and intensifying its military operations.

"We do not want this government to keep preaching to us about the importance of fighting the American forces in the Red Sea,” he said.

“We know about the American aggression in Yemen. What we need is practical programs to help allay our humanitarian and economic ordeals."

The writer is a Yemeni journalist, reporting from Yemen, whose identity we are protecting for their security.