Yemeni Presidential Council Chairman: Recent developments will not change our goal of ending the threat posed by the Houthi militia

Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council Chairman Rashad al-Alimi affirmed on Thursday that any temporary field developments will not alter the Yemeni people’s goal of restoring their state and national institutions and ending the threat posed by the Houthi militia to international security and peace.

The Yemeni News Agency (SABA) reported that these remarks were made during al-Alimi’s reception of the French Ambassador to Yemen, Catherine Colmon, on the occasion of the end of her term.

Al-Alimi stated that the Yemeni state and its armed forces are already capable of regaining the initiative on the western coast along the Red Sea.

He explained that what is happening today is a new phase in an ongoing confrontation waged by the state to restore its institutions, secure its territory, coasts, and territorial waters, and protect maritime passages from armed threats and cross-border smuggling networks.

He noted that the existence of a strong state is no longer merely a Yemeni interest but a necessity for regional and international security, emphasizing the importance of transitioning the relationship between the Yemeni government and its international partners from crisis management to a strategic partnership in security and deterrence. This partnership should include building state capabilities, protecting ports and territorial waters, combating terrorism and smuggling, and dismantling the financing and arms supply networks of rogue groups.

He expressed appreciation for France’s steadfast stance in support of the Yemeni people and their aspirations to end suffering and restore state institutions. He also commended France’s strong position against Houthi militia escalation, its insistence on halting their arming and financing, and its affirmation that freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and international straits is non-negotiable.