His Excellency President Al-Alimi’s Address on the Occasion of Eid Al-Fitr 1446

  Aden

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

Praise be to Allah, the Lord of all worlds, and peace and blessings be upon His truthful and faithful Messenger.

To our great people everywhere,

To the brave men of our armed forces and security personnel stationed in various fields of honor, dignity, and pride,

On my behalf, my fellow members of the Presidential Leadership Council, and the government, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to you on the occasion of Eid Al-Fitr. I pray to Almighty Allah to bring it upon us again with a great victory, the end of war, the dawn of peace, and the restoration of our beloved nation’s institutions, security, stability, and sovereignty.

Dear sisters and brothers,

Just as the month of Ramadan was a time of faith, devotion, and donation, it was also an opportunity for us to reassess priorities, evaluate ourselves, draw lessons from past victories, and prepare for new triumphs, God willing—crowning your years of patience and resilience.

I address you today from the city of Aden, which, a decade ago, triumphed over the Houthi terrorist invasion and became a symbol of resistance and the capital of the national project for the future you rightfully deserve.

At this time of year, we also recall the launch of Operation Decisive Storm, led by our brothers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, marking the greatest Arab alliance to counter the new Imamate project backed by Iran’s expansionist regime. This is an occasion that fills us with pride and gratitude for the brave heroes who made it possible.

Dear Yemeni people,

This blessed Eid coincides with the third anniversary of the establishment of the Presidential Leadership Council on April 7, 2022—a turning point where political partners, with the support of our brothers in the Coalition to Support Legitimacy, pledged to move the country from division and fragmentation to collective action, and from war to peace, fulfilling the aspirations of all Yemenis for an end to the coup and the rebuilding of their state on the principles of justice, equality, and shared wealth and governance.

With the backing of our brothers and friends, the Presidential Leadership Councilhas continued to work on the priorities of the transitional phase, as set out in the Declaration of Power Transfer, managing the state politically, militarily, and security-wise. We have also been working on rebuilding institutions in Aden and the liberated governorates, supporting the government in fulfilling its obligations, enhancing the efficiency of the Central Bank and public finances, and ensuring the relative regularity of salary payments, despite the severe financial crisis caused by Houthi terrorist attacks on oil facilities.

To prevent recurring conflicts among legitimacy components and uphold collective responsibility, the Presidential Leadership Council has adopted a comprehensive strategy to address the challenges of the current phase. For the first time since the Houthi coup against national consensus, we have completed the final draft of the Council’s regulations work and its supporting bodies.

Despite the complexities of this phase, the Presidential Leadership Council has reactivated state institutions, particularly the judiciary, law enforcement agencies, and anti-corruption bodies, ensuring greater security in liberated areas. Military and security reforms have significantly strengthened deterrence capabilities against Houthi terrorist attacks, preventing any territorial gains since the Council’s formation. The establishment of the Joint Operations Authority has also been a milestone in unifying military decisions, ensuring cohesion between different military formations under the principle of a united front and a shared destiny.

Some policies, such as activating the Supreme Security Committee, have enabled firm responses to terrorist plots that previously claimed the lives of many commanders, soldiers, and innocent civilians.

On the international level, the Presidential Leadership Council and the government have pursued a balanced foreign policy that serves Yemen’s national interests and maintains international support for legitimacy. These efforts have resulted in significant transformations, including: Stabilizing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which now operates from within the country for the first time in years. Reforming the diplomatic corps and increasing the number of accredited ambassadors. Expanding the activities of international organizations and private sector entities to reinforce Yemen’s legal status in the interim capital, Aden and liberated governorates. 

In managing the peace process, we, in Presidential Leadership Council have carefully worked to serve Yemen’s national cause, presenting the people’s aspirations in the best possible manner while exposing the Houthis’ hostile agenda against Yemen’s future generations. We have acted as a responsible state for all citizens, everywhere.

The unwavering commitment of state institutions, the media, and political components resisting the racist Houthi project has been instrumental in countering misinformation and fostering a positive shift in international attitudes—a turning point toward the countdown to the fall of the Imamate project and the liberation of the remaining occupied territories.

Dear Yemeni people,

We have always affirmed that your awareness, patience, and commitment to the national project, even at the peak of frustration, have been a clear referendum rejecting the Houthi agenda. Your stance has further isolated the militias, keeping Yemen’s cause alive in international forums as a testament to your indomitable will.

The Presidential Leadership Council has never hesitated to acknowledge shortcomings in addressing key issues, including the slow progress in stabilizing leadership inside the country, revenue improvement, and economic hardships—all exacerbated by Houthi terrorist attacks on oil facilities and shipping vessels.

Ending this suffering and restoring our country to its rightful place as an active member of its Arab surroundings and the international community can only be achieved by strengthening broad alignment around the national project, addressing the root cause of the crisis—the coup against state institutions—and setting our country on the path to stability and sustainable peace.

The best example of the impossibility of achieving sustainable peace under the current situation is the Houthi escalation six months after the Council’s formation—targeting oil facilities and obstructing salary payments for all Yemenis, worsening living conditions.

Since then, Yemen has lost 60% of its public revenue, the currency has depreciated, and livelihoods have been stifled. Meanwhile, the militias persisted in their reckless ventures, abducting aid workers, seizing civilian aircraft, attacking commercial ships, and launching a relentless barrage of Iranian missiles and drones against civilian targets at home and international shipping lanes. The cost has been further sanctions, the militarization of regional waters, a deepening humanitarian crisis, and harm to the interests of the Yemeni people—all in service of Iran and its expansionist agenda.

Instead of complying with the will of the Yemeni people and the international community or working to salvage what remains of the banking sector’s assets, the militias, as usual, chose to fabricate imaginary enemies and escalate their threatening for senseless wars.

We do not believe there is a need to explain the implications, background, or obligations of the designation decision, as the militias’ actions and grave violations speak louder than any words.

Therefore, the terrorist Houthi militia holds full responsibility for bringing about these sanctions, escalating military tensions in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab, and provoking international strikes in response to its attacks and piracy against global shipping lanes and commercial vessels. It also remains accountable for its long-standing record of violence, killings, and terrorism against Yemenis since its coup against national consensus—naively assuming that such actions would go unpunished.

To make this international response more effective in achieving global peace and security, the Presidential Leadership Council underscores the urgent need for comprehensive partnership and close coordination on the ground with the Yemeni government to liberate the remaining occupied territories and put an end to Iran’s interventions and its devastating wars in Yemen and the region.

O great Yemeni people,

This is the historic moment you have long awaited, especially for our people living under the forced control of the terrorist militias. Signs of victory are emerging, and the need for genuine national unity is greater than ever—to build a strong, united republican front that will bring an end to the Houthi coup, restore the presence of the state, and reclaim Yemen’s role and rightful place.

We count on your support for the armed forces, security services, and resistance fighters, who have made your dreams of freedom a real possibility.

We must also express our profound gratitude to our steadfast supporters in both- times of prosperity and adversity—our brothers in the Coalition to Support Legitimacy, led by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. They have exemplified the highest standards of solidarity and honorable stances alongside our people, working to alleviate their suffering and support their aspirations for security, stability, peace, and development.

Yemenis Everywhere,

This is the moment to reclaim our rights—a journey made possible by your resilience and the steadfast support of our allies.

Thanks to this, we are now more aware of your aspirations and priorities for moving toward the future—a future that begins by overcoming the burdens of the past, discarding defeatist rhetoric, and focusing entirely on the battle to restore state institutions. We pledge to you that this will remain our unwavering goal, and with God’s will, it is within reach.

The early freedom fighters faced the same challenges and the same discouraging voices, yet they remained united and relentless in defending the principles of the republican system, keeping those values alive in the hearts of successive generations.

Since the Houthi militias revealed their Iranian weapons, which destabilize Yemen and the region, some mistakenly believed that all was lost. But today, reality proves otherwise—the republican alliance has grown stronger and more determined, and the liberation of Sana’a and the rest of our homeland is closer than ever. 

Victory comes only by God.

Sovereignty belongs to the people.

Glory and mercy to our martyrs.

Healing to our wounded.

Freedom to our prisoners.

Eid Mubarak, and may you be well every year.

Peace, mercy, and blessings of God be upon you.