Former Yemeni Ambassador to the UAE, Ahmed Ali Abdullah Saleh, met with the US Ambassador to Yemen, Stephen Fagin, on Monday, August 5th, 2024, to discuss the future of Yemen in light of ongoing developments.

According to Yemen Today, a channel affiliated with the late president's son, the meeting addressed "issues related to Yemen's future in light of current developments in the region and the concerted efforts being made by international parties to contain the crisis and conflict in Yemen."

The discussion also included "a review of recent developments in the Arab and international arenas and their impact on the political settlement in Yemen."

During the meeting, the US Ambassador extended his "warm congratulations" to Ahmed Ali on the lifting of international sanctions against him and his father, former President Ali Abdullah Saleh.

This marks Ahmed Ali's first political activity since the UN Security Council's Sanctions Committee lifted the sanctions against him at the end of last month.

On Saturday, August 3rd, 2024, in his first statement after the sanctions were lifted, Ahmed Ali reaffirmed his unwavering support for peace and any step that promotes rapprochement and understanding among all national forces and the building of a cohesive Yemeni state.

"We will always be advocates for peace and goodness, and we support every step that strengthens rapprochement and understanding among all forces and actors working for the benefit of the homeland and the people, and for building a cohesive Yemeni state, where everyone lives with dignity, freedom, justice, and equal citizenship, and coexists in cooperation, harmony, and peace with all its brothers, neighbors, and the world," he stated.

On Tuesday, July 30th, 2024, the UN Security Council's Sanctions Committee removed the names of Ali Abdullah Saleh and his son, Ahmed Ali Abdullah Saleh, from the sanctions list targeting individuals and entities obstructing peace in Yemen.

A press release published on the UN website and monitored by Barran Press confirmed that the Security Council Committee established under Resolution 2140 (2014) on July 30th, 2024, removed the names of Ahmed Ali and his father from the sanctions list.

The statement mentioned that Ahmed Ali "played a key role in facilitating the Houthi military expansion" and "participated in actions that threaten peace, security, or stability in Yemen."

On November 7th, 2014, the UN Security Council imposed sanctions on former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh and two Houthi leaders for "threatening peace and stability" in Yemen. Ahmed Ali was added to the list on April 14th, 2015, and his designation was amended on September 16th, 2015.

Saleh was killed by his Houthi allies in clashes that erupted in the capital Sana'a and lasted for days. Following his death, his nephew, Tareq Saleh, joined the internationally recognized Yemeni government and chose the western coast as a battlefield to confront the Houthis.

In mid-May, Ahmed Ali, currently residing in the UAE since before 2014, sent a letter to the UN Security Council's Sanctions Committee urging it to review its decisions regarding the sanctions imposed on him. In the letter, he provided explanations and "facts" related to his designation, which he described as unjustified.