RIYADH —Rashad Al-Alimi, chairman of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council, said on Thursday that safeguarding the strategic partnership with Saudi Arabia is a national responsibility. “Yemen’s leadership is fully aware of the gains achieved through this partnership, as well as the risks of undermining it,” he said while emphasizing that the Saudi partnership remains a cornerstone of efforts to restore the Yemeni state.

Al-Alimi said that ending the UAE’s presence in Yemen does not signal a break in bilateral ties, but rather a course correction within the coalition to serve shared goals.Al-Alimi told Al-Arabiya that the recent decisions were not driven by a desire for escalation or retaliation but rather were dictated by the demands of the current phase and aligned with the overarching goal of serving the battle to restore the Yemeni state, whether through peaceful means or war.

On the southern issue, Al-Alimi stressed that all parties remain committed to addressing it within a unified national framework, away from armed conflict, to promote stability and avoid further complications. He affirmed that any measures taken will continue to be directed toward supporting the national path, preserving unity, and strengthening efforts to end the coup and restore state institutions.

Meanwhile Al-Alimi met with the United States Ambassador to Yemen Steven Fagin on Wednesday. They discussed latest developments in the country and their economic and security implications in light of recent developments in the governorates of Hadhramout and Al-Mahrah.

Al-Alimi said that the challenges facing Yemen at present do not fall within the scope of political differences, but rather constitute an armed rebellion against the authority of the state, its sovereign decisions and the references of the transitional phase. “This has created a dangerous gap that threatens to turn Yemen into a hub of broad regional instability and to undermine the progress achieved in security and stability tracks at all levels,” he added.