PM: Extension of truce must be linked to economic, financial aspects

Prime Minister Abdulaziz bin Habtoor stressed on Saturday the need for the process of extending the humanitarian and military truce in Yemen to be linked to the economic and financial aspects, especially the addressing of employee salaries that have been cut off since the transfer of the Central Bank’s functions to its branch in Aden, in 2016.

“The branch of the Central Bank in Aden, which is under the control of the Saudi-backed government, has failed miserably in managing monetary policy and fulfilling its obligations towards most public service employees,” Abdulaziz bin Habtoor said, during his meeting with the Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Yemen in Sana’a, Ahmed Lutfi.

During the meeting, bin Habtoor discussed with Lutfi the latest developments in Oman’s consultations between the National Delegation and Saudi-backed parties, especially with regard to financial aspects and the disbursement of interrupted employees’ salaries.

In the meeting, the Deputy Governor of the Bank reviewed a set of points that were addressed in the presence of the United Nations envoy. Among them is the need to unify the management of the Central Bank, and address the problems of illegal currency printing, in addition to the plans of the Salvation Government and the Central Bank in Sana’a to maintain the stability of the foreign exchange rate against the Yemeni riyal.

He pointed out that the issue of employee salaries was among the priorities of discussions in the financial negotiations, in addition to the opening of the Hodeidah port and the establishment of a sovereign fund to manage the state’s resources.

Deputy Governor of the Bank stressed the need to release external bank accounts and not to dispose of them in accordance with political visions, as they are accounts for banks and not for individuals.

The Prime Minister further stressed the need for the process of extending the truce to be linked to the economic and financial aspects, especially the handling of employee salaries that have been cut off since the transfer of the Central Bank’s jobs to its branch in Aden. The bank failed miserably in managing monetary policy and fulfilling its obligations towards most public service employees after its transfer.

He pointed out that the mercenaries of the Saudi-led coalition and their leaders seek to prolong the aggression against Yemen for material personal purposes far from the rights and requirements of the Yemeni people and their aspiration to end the aggression, lift the siege and achieve honorable peace, which preserves Yemen’s security, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity.

E.M