Barran Press
Saleh Al-Jabwani, former Minister of Transport in the internationally recognized Yemeni government, has issued a warning to the Presidential Leadership Council, the Prime Minister, and the Parliament, against "collusion" in a proposed deal to lease Aden Port to the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
In a tweet, seen by Barran Press, Al-Jabwani addressed the Yemeni leadership, stating, "You are more aware than anyone of what happened to Aden Port after it was handed over to Dubai Ports World under a previous agreement, shrouded in suspicion, aimed at crippling the port for the benefit of Dubai Ports. And that's exactly what happened."
He accused the member of the Presidential Leadership Council, Aidarous Al-Zubaidi, of attempting to "sell Aden Port as if it were his property," adding, "Shamelessly, he issues orders outside the legal framework for agreements, which any treaty or agreement must adhere to under normal circumstances, let alone in the current situation Yemen is facing."
Al-Jabwani called on Rashad Al-Alimi, Ahmed bin Mubarak, and Sultan Al-Barakani to "prevent this agreement from being signed, lest they be accused of complicity," emphasizing that "compromising sovereignty is a grave betrayal."
He added, "Those in power today will be stripped of it tomorrow. The courtrooms will be the place for those who sold, compromised, or colluded against the nation and its institutions. Yemen will emerge from its crises and challenges, and we will reclaim the state. Those who act as if the country is their personal property should not think that their position at the helm of power is the end of the journey."
On Monday, Yemeni MP Ali Ashal published a leaked official document revealing Al-Zubaidi's intention to lease Aden Port to Abu Dhabi Ports Group.
According to the document, Al-Zubaidi stated that a ministerial committee is "on the verge of finalizing the agreement with Abu Dhabi Ports Group," instructing the Prime Minister to "merely review the accounts approved by the legal accountant and endorsed by the company's board of directors." He deemed this directive "final."
Ashal warned of an "imminent disaster on the horizon," citing previous "catastrophic" deals that he claimed cost the state treasury over $150 million. He added, "A new disaster looms due to the division we are experiencing and the prevailing corruption."
Aden Port holds strategic importance, amplified by the establishment of a free zone in 1993. Its geographic location, directly on the world's main trade route from the Middle East to Europe and America, allows for transit services to East Africa, the Red Sea, the Indian subcontinent, and the Persian Gulf.
In 2008, the Yemeni government signed an agreement with Dubai World to manage two container terminals in Aden for 30 years.
In 2012, the Yemeni government, led by then-Prime Minister Mohammed Salem Basindwa, revoked the agreement, citing Dubai Ports World's disruption of the port's operations.
In 2013, Basindwa's government signed an agreement with China for a project to develop and operate the port, marking the first such project in Yemen and one of the most important ports globally.