Yemen PM Resigns, Foreign Minister Appointed as New Prime Minister

Yemen has witnessed a significant political development in January 2026. The country’s Saudi-backed leadership accepted the resignation of its Prime Minister and swiftly appointed a new head of government. The leadership transition comes at a time of renewed regional tensions and continuing instability linked to Yemen’s prolonged civil war and Gulf geopolitics.

Why in News?

Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council has accepted the resignation of Prime Minister Salem bin Breik and appointed Shaya Mohsen Zindani, the country’s foreign minister, as the new Prime Minister.

Change in Yemen’s Political Leadership

• According to state media, the Saudi-backed leadership council formally approved the resignation of Salem bin Breik after it was submitted earlier this week.
• Following this, Shaya Mohsen Zindani, who was serving as Yemen’s foreign minister, was tasked with forming a new cabinet.
• The move signals an attempt by the leadership council to ensure continuity in governance amid political and security challenges.

Role of the Presidential Leadership Council

• Yemen is currently governed by a Presidential Leadership Council, which was formed with Saudi backing to unify anti-Houthi political forces.
• The council exercises executive authority, including the appointment of the prime minister and cabinet.
• The acceptance of the resignation and quick appointment of a successor reflects efforts to project political stability despite ongoing internal divisions and external pressures.

Regional Tensions: Saudi Arabia and the UAE

• Yemen has become a focal point of rising tensions between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in recent months.
• In December, the Southern Transitional Council (STC), a UAE-backed separatist group, took control of several areas in southern and eastern Yemen.
• The group’s advance close to the Saudi border raised serious security concerns in Riyadh.

Background: Yemen’s Civil War

• Saudi Arabia and the UAE had earlier worked together in a coalition against the Iran-backed Houthi rebels, who control large parts of northern Yemen.
• The conflict, which began in 2015, has triggered one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, marked by food insecurity, displacement, and collapse of basic services.
• Although large scale fighting has reduced in intensity, political fragmentation and regional rivalries continue to destabilize the country.

Key Summary at a Glance

Question

Q. Who was appointed as Yemen’s new Prime Minister in January 2026?

A. Salem bin Breik
B. Shaya Mohsen Zindani
C. Rashad al-Alimi
D. Aidarous al-Zoubaidi