Yemen has a new leader after Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak resigned as prime minister. Salem Saleh Bin Braik, who served as finance minister in the previous cabinet, was appointed as the new head in a decree by the Presidential Leadership Council.
“The presidential decree aims to inject life into the Yemeni government, which has been in a state of complete paralysis for a year,” UAE’s Al-Ain media wrote.
“This was due to the deterioration of several issues, most notably the electricity crisis, which sparked anger in the streets of the liberated areas and prompted demonstrations, particularly in Aden, to denounce the deterioration of services.”
Saleh Bin Breik Appointed as #Yemen’s New Prime Minister Following Bin Mubarak’s Resignation The Yemeni Presidential Leadership Councilannounced today, Saturday, the appointment of Saleh Bin Salem Bin Breik as the country’s new prime minister, succeeding Ahmed Awad Bin Mubarak,… pic.twitter.com/eeBDn9fghI
— YemenOnline (@YemenOnlineinfo) May 3, 2025
The government doesn’t control most of the country, and the rebel Houthis are often associated with what is going on there.
However, the government remains internationally recognized, as opposed to the Houthis, which are backed by Iran and illegally occupy a swath of Yemen.
The Houthis grew in power in 2015 and threatened to take over Aden and other parts of Yemen. Since then, they have threatened the region and also attacked Israel.
Mubarak, who had served since February 2024, announced his resignation on social media on Saturday, saying he was prevented from taking “necessary decisions to reform the state institution and execute the necessary cabinet reshuffle.”
Salem Saleh Bin Braik
According to the Al-Ain report, Braik was born in 1965 in Mukalla, a city on the Gulf of Aden. He worked in customs in the port and later in an audit department of the same port up until the 1990s. In 2005, Braik was appointed director-general of customs at the Hajjah Governorate’s al-Tuwal/Haradh crossing, the largest and most important land port linking Yemen to Saudi Arabia.
Braik later moved to Hodeidah, an important port on the Red Sea, and then became director-general of Aden Free Zone Customs in mid-2013.
“He also served as head of the Customs Authority from June 16, 2014, to November 26, 2018, before being selected the following year as a member of the Supreme Economic Committee of the legitimate government,” the report noted.
He then moved to the Board of Directors of the Central Bank of Yemen before becoming deputy finance minister. As such, his background is primarily technical as a civil servant.
Al-Ain noted that “selecting Bin Braik as Yemen’s prime minister is a daunting and difficult task, given the country’s thorny issues, the Houthi war, and the significant challenges facing state institutions due to the lack of unified revenues and the halt in oil exports.
“According to sources close to the new prime minister, he has made his acceptance of the position of prime minister conditional on his government receiving financial support, controlling revenue collection, and reforming monetary policy to curb the collapse of the Yemeni riyal.”
The report added that Braik is expected to provide a model of a state capable of confronting terrorism and coups, following the paralysis that afflicted the Yemeni government during Mubarak’s tenure.
An expert told Al-Ain that Braik’s selection “was an effective solution to pave the way for serious solutions for the country’s economy.” The report added that “Braik’s appointment coincides with daily US airstrikes on Houthi militia positions, which observers believe will be exploited to lead a military campaign to expel the Houthi militia from Hodeidah.”
Braik is the fifth prime minister of Yemen since 2015. His predecessors have not been very successful at confronting the Houthis.