US embassy cable - 03SANAA1150

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 SANAA 001150 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/18/2013 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PINR, YE, DOMESTIC POLITICS 
SUBJECT: YEMEN'S NEW GOVERNMENT: NEW BLOOD, MODEST REFORM, 
EMPHASIS ON TECHNOLOGY 
 
Classified By: DCM ALAN MISENHEIMER FOR REASON 1.5 (D) , 
 
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Summary 
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1. (C): Begin Summary: ROYG Prime Minister Ba Jammal's new 
Cabinet (complete list para 12) introduces several fresh 
faces, but incumbents retain the major ministries and all 
Ministers are members of the General People's Congress (GPC). 
At a glance: 
-  By relative population, the South (10 Ministers) outweighs 
the North (25 Ministers) and scores important portfolios for 
junior technocrats. 
-  The average age drops, ten Ministers are Members of 
Parliament, purely tribal/family influence has waned and 
education levels are high. 
-  Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Ahmed 
Sofan wins the added title of Deputy Prime Minister. 
-  The sole female Minister takes her female predecessor's 
portfolio, but is moved up to full Minister. 
-  Some former Ministers with poor records are  dismissed; 
others with marginal reputations remain. 
 
2. (C) The new Cabinet is ready for business and tasked with 
reform.  It should perform adequately. However, by limiting 
Ministers to GPC party stalwarts, and selecting only one 
woman for the Cabinet, Prime Minister Ba Jammal seems to have 
aimed for business as usual over bold change. End Summary 
 
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Fifty Percent Turnover 
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3. (U) On May 17, ROYG President Ali Abdullah Salih approved 
the new Cabinet presented by incumbent Prime Minister Abdul 
Qadir Ba Jammal.   The list includes 15 new ministers (and 
two former ministers with new portfolios) in a total Cabinet 
of 35, a near fifty percent replacement rate.  However, the 
most important Ministries are unchanged: Alawi Saleh 
Al-Salami as Deputy Prime Minister/Finance Minister, Abubakir 
Abdullah al-Qirbi in Foreign Affairs, Abdullah Alaywah in 
Defense, Rashad al-Alimi in Interior and Ahmed Mohammed Sofan 
as Minister of Planning and International Cooperation. 
 
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Minister of Planning Promoted 
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4. (C) The most important change from the Embassy's 
perspective may be Ahmed Sofan's promotion to Deputy Prime 
Minister, retaining his portfolio as Minister of Planning and 
International Cooperation (no longer "Planning and 
Development".)  Some observers believe the Prime Minister 
needs him as a counterweight to the powerful Finance 
Minister, Alawi Saleh al-Salami, who reigned as sole Deputy 
Prime Minister in the previous cabinet.  Comment: While 
al-Salami gets good marks from the World Bank and others for 
his strict monetary policy, he has been less effective in 
advancing business and development.  In contrast, Sofan, a 
successful businessman by background, has made his planning 
and development portfolio a center for long-term investments 
in Yemen's social and human resources. End Comment 
 
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The South Keeps Its Edge 
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5. (U) The North/South tally of cabinet seats (25/10) is 
still tipped toward Aden by relative population 
(approximately 16 million to four million.)  In addition, 
several new Cabinet Ministers have portfolios that reflect 
the long-standing Southern edge in education and 
international business.  The new Ministers of Justice, 
Transportation, Fisheries, Industry, Higher Education and 
Technical Education have impressive credentials as Southern 
technocrats. 
 
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DEMOGRAPHICS 
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6. (U) The average age of the Cabinet has declined, with two 
young Ministers and no elder statesmen.  For example, the new 
Ministers of both Justice and Agriculture are thirty-four, 
but most Ministers weigh in with solid forties and fifties. 
In a sign of growing technocracy, 12 Ministers have PhD's and 
seven have MA's.  Only four Ministers come from wealthy 
commercial families and only three have important tribal 
standing.  The single woman member is a notable Cabinet 
standout.  Former Ambassador to the Netherlands Amat al-Alim 
al-Soswah takes the designated female portfolio of Human 
Rights, but as a concession to her public stature, she was 
elevated to full Minister, rather than Minister of State. 
 
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New Stars For The Party? 
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7. (U) Ten Ministers are Members of Parliament, including 
seven impressive first-time winners in the recent elections. 
Sanaa's mayor, Ahmed al-Kohlani, Minister of State without 
Portfolio, may be the most outstanding, given his effective 
administrative record.  His tribal connections, while 
important, may be less of a factor than his high popularity 
in the capital city. 
 
8. (U) The new Ministers of Agriculture, Justice, Transport 
and Civil Service also shine as freshman Parliamentarians. 
They all showed electoral prowess, and now have the fortune 
to replace marginally effective former Ministers.  The GPC 
will mark these new party stars for bright futures if they 
can manage their first portfolios more successfully than 
their predecessors. 
 
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COMMENT 
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9. (U) Yemen is changing, and even such establishment 
institutions as the Cabinet are beginning to reflect more 
important priorities than tribal and regional preferences. 
For example, the distinction between North and South may 
gradually be losing its importance as groups begin to align 
by common interests and issues:  political parties; business; 
religion; reform. 
 
10. (C) Ba Jammal could and should have nominated a number of 
well-qualified female Ministers.  However, his sole choice is 
a good one.  She may help pave the way for more 
representative government in the future.  The Cabinet's 
educated young technocrats have impressive credentials and 
should be able to conduct public business with more 
credibility than their predecessors. By ridding himself of 
deadwood (like the former Education Minister) Ba Jammal 
should accomplish more in his second term. 
 
11. (C) The GPC's landslide victory in the recent elections, 
although hampered by losses in Sanaa and tarnished by 
controversy over vote-counting in some districts, gives the 
government a solid mandate for its programs.   The GPC must 
now show the public that it heard the electorate's clear 
calls for government reform.  Ba Jammal seems to have split 
the difference - continuity in the power ministries but 
significant change elsewhere. End Comment 
 
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12. Complete List of New Cabinet Members 
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PRIME MINSTER - Abdul-Qadir Abdul-Rahman Ba Jammal 
 
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AND FINANCE MINISTER - Alawi Saleh 
al-Salami 
 
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER, MINISTER OF PLANNING & INTERNATIONAL 
COOPERATION - Ahmed Mohammed Sofan 
 
AGRICULTURE & IRRIGATION - Engineer Hasan Omer Mohammed Sowaid 
 
AWQAF & RELIGIOUS GUIDANCE - Hamoud Mohammed Obad 
 
CIVIL SERVICE & SOCIAL SECURITY - Hamoud Khaled Naji al-Soufi 
 
COMMUNICATIONS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY - Engineer 
Abdul-Malik al-Mu,allimi 
 
CULTURE & TOURISM - Khaled Abdullah Slaih al-Rowaishan 
 
DEFENSE - MG Abdullah Ali Alaywah 
 
EDUCATION - Dr. Abdul-Salam Mohammed Hizam al-Jawfi 
 
ELECTRICITY - Abdul-Rahman Mohammed Tarmom 
 
EXPATRIATE AFFAIRS - Abduh Ali Qubati 
 
FISHERIES - Ali Mohammed Mojawer 
 
FOREIGN AFFAIRS - Dr. Abu-Baker Abdullah al-Qirbi 
 
HIGHER EDUCATION & SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH - Dr. Abdu-Wahab Rawih 
 
HUMAN RIGHTS - Amat-al-Alim al-Soswah 
 
INDUSTRY & TRADE - Dr. Khaled Rajih Shiekh 
 
INFORMATION - Hussein Dhaifallah al-Awadhi 
 
INTERIOR - Dr. Rashad al-Alimi 
 
JUSTICE - Dr. Adnan Omer Mohammed al-Jefri 
 
LEGAL AFFAIRS - Dr. Rashad Ahmed Yahia al-Rassas 
 
LOCAL ADMINISTRATION - Sadiq Ameen Abu-Rass 
OIL & MINERALS - Dr. Rashid Salih Ba Rabba 
 
PUBLIC HEALTH & POPULATION - Dr. Mohammed Yahia Awadh 
al-No,emi 
 
PUBLIC WORK & ROADS - Engineer Abdullah Hussein al-Daf,ei 
 
SOCIAL AFFAIRS & LABOR - Abdul-Karim al-Arhabi 
 
TECHNICAL & VOCATIONAL EDUCATION - Dr. Ali Mansour Mohammed 
Bin Safaa 
 
TRANSPORT - Omer Muhsen Abdul-Rahman al-Amoudi 
 
WATER & ENVIRONMENT - Dr. Mohammed Lutf Mohammed al-Iriani 
 
YOUTH & SPORT - Abdul-Rahamn al-Akwa 
 
MINISTER OF STATE & SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE PRESIDENCY - MG 
Engineer Abdullah Hussein al-Bashiri 
MINISTER OF STATE & MEMBER OF THE CABINET - Qassim Ahmed 
al-Ajam 
 
MINISTER OF STATE & MEMBER OF THE CABINET - Mohammed Ali 
Yasir 
 
MINISTER OF STATE & MAYOR OF SANAA - Ahmed Mohammed Yahia 
al-Kohlani 
MINISTER OF STATE FOR PALIAMENTARY AND SHURA COUNCIL AFFAIRS 
-Mohammed Yahia Hamoud al-Sharafi 
HULL