Yemen president in Riyadh for talks on reconstruction, military effort

RIYADH: Yemeni President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi arrived in Riyadh Monday evening to enhance coordination of efforts to defeat Yemeni rebels and carry out reconstruction in liberated areas.
Yemeni Tourism Minister Mohamed A. Qubaty told Arab News on Tuesday that the visit concerns “coordination of our efforts to defeat the rebels completely.”
He added: “There are other key matters regarding rebuilding the country, reconstruction and development work. Those are the main topics to be discussed during the visit in Riyadh with our brothers in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and our Arab allies in general.”
Qubaty said more than 80 percent of Yemen is in



the hands of the internationally recognized government. “We need to wage war against terrorists, Al-Qaeda and Daesh so people can see a bright future,” he added.
Hadi last week said Saudi Arabia has allocated $10 billion in aid “for the reconstruction of liberated provinces, including $2 billion as a deposit in the central bank to shore up the (Yemeni) riyal.” Hadi has called on his government to focus on power, water, roads, health and education in liberated areas.
Pro-government forces backed by the Saudi-led Arab coalition have taken back five southern provinces from Iran-backed rebels, who still control the capital and much of northern Yemen.