Parliament okays transition government

By Faisal Darem

Yemen Observer

The Parliament approved on Wednesday Dec 28^th  the general program of the newly appointed national unity government and give it confidence.

The session of the parliament was chaired by the speaker Yahya al-Raee and attended by Prime Minister Mohammed Salem Basindwa and the government’s members. The move came after three days of the debate on the new government’s program. Addressing the parliament, Basindwa said his government’s program enjoys national consensus involving various political movements and parties in the country.

He said his government is going to lead the country at a very critical time as there are limited available potentials.

Basindwa vowed that his government would do its best to put the country back on the right track, and to ensure a modern democratic civilian state based on law and order and equal citizenship.

The MPs stressed that the government should give priority for restoring peace and security and to fully implement the GCC reconciliation deal.

The MPS also stressed that the government should restore the essential services including electricity, water and oil derivatives for the public in Sana’a and all other main cities across the country.

Parliament’s  Recommendations

1 – The emphasis on the implementation of all the provisions in the gulf initiative and the operational mechanism.

2 - Working on the implementation of the provisions in the operational mechanism of the Gulf initiative with respect to the tasks of military and security committee , in particular the contents (c, h) of article (16) of the mechanism, within no later than two weeks, and report the Parliament  with the level of implementation with a timetable for the implementation of the remaining articles in this regard.

3 - Working on the restoration of security in all provinces of the Republic, and ending all forms of armed cities, and the opening of streets and road.

4 - The rapid restoration of public services to citizens, particularly the electricity and water, and the provision of petroleum.

5 - Opening the road between Aden and Abyan, and working on the return of displaced to their areas and in particular the displaced people of Saada and Abyan provinces, and providing humanitarian assistance to them.

6 - Giving priority to the contents of the government’s program in relation to the implementation of care and attention to victims of the events of the wounded and disabled, and families of the martyrs of civilians and military personnel.

7 - The Government provides timing  matrix to the most important priorities of the overall program, including completion of the bills included in the initiative and operational mechanism.

8 - The Government is committed to provide the Parliament  with periodic reports every four months on the achievements of the program.

On  Dec 24-25 , The parliament listened to the government’s general program presented by Prime Minister Mohammed Salem Basindwa.

The government approved its general program based on the constitution, Gulf initiative and its executive mechanism in addition to the draft 4th four-year plan for socio-economic development and poverty reduction 2011 – 2015.

The program targets a set of priorities the government will focus on to tackle the challenges Yemen is facing currently.

The government will seeks to convince the brotherly and friendly states to establish a special international fund for Yemen to finance priority projects for governorates’ development.

In addition, it will set up a fund to present monthly assistances for families of killed and wounded people and to hospitalize the wounded people abroad if required.

The government will form committees to contact with youth movements all over the country to discuss and involve them in determining the country’s future.

In the political area, the government will mobilize all national efforts in order to restore political stability and security, create the suitable environment to achieve safe and peaceful transfer of power, respect human rights and carry out the youths’ legitimate demands for change. Economically, the government puts returning the affected basic services in its urgent priorities, topped by electricity and oil derivatives.

The government will seeks to convince the fraternal and friendly States to establish a special international fund for Yemen to finance priority projects for governorates’ development and contract with consulting firms to prepare the required studies and select companies to carry out them. In addition, it will set up a fund to present monthly assistances for families of killed and wounded people and to hospitalize the wounded people abroad if required. The government will form committees to contact with youth movements all over the country to discuss and involve them in determining the country’s future.

General program trends

On Dec 13^th , the cabinet approved general program trends which include setting up a policy package to maintain the State’s unity, reinstating the State’s control over all governorates and achieving a national reconciliation.

The government general program also contains forming a constitutional committee to amend the Yemeni constitution, correcting the country’s development course and combating all kinds of corruption Moreover, the program includes overcoming the repercussions of the crisis Yemen has experienced over the past months, rebuilding all damaged building, facilities and roads and carrying out a national program to care the families of the martyrs and wounded people due to the crisis.