Yemen's new presidential council visits UAE halfway through Houthi-Saudi truce

The head of Yemen's new presidential council landed in the UAE on Friday for wide-ranging talks with Emirati officials that will last several days, Yemeni state media said.

Rashad al-Alimi and the council's vice presidents were received in Abu Dhabi on Friday by the Emirati education minister, Saba reported. The presidential council members had flown in from Saudi Arabia, where they had met with Saudi officials.

Al-Alimi "stressed the depth of the bilateral relations between the two brotherly countries", Saba said, citing a presidency statement.

The meetings come at a time of change in Yemen, with Yemeni president Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi having transferred his powers to the presidential council earlier this month in a move welcomed by Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

Riyadh promised billions of dollars in aid to Yemen days later, and said the UAE would contribute $1 billion.

The UAE is part of the Saudi-led military coalition that backs Yemen's internationally-recognised government in its fight against the Iran-backed Houthi rebels.

The coalition agreed to a two-month truce with the Houthis at the end of March.

The Houthis struck the UAE with missiles in January, killing three people.