Abdel-Aziz bin Habtour

Abdel-Aziz bin Habtour
Prime Minister of Yemen Disputed
Incumbent
Assumed office 4 October 2016*
President	Saleh Ali al-Sammad
Deputy	Jalal al-Rowaishan Akram Abdullah Attaya Hussein Abdullah Mkabuli
Preceded by	Talal Aklan (Acting)
Governor of Aden Governorate
In office 25 December 2014 – 20 July 2015
President	Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi
Deputy	Nayef al-Bakri
Preceded by	Waheed Ali Rashid
Succeeded by	Nayef al-Bakri
Deputy Minister of Education
In office April 2001 – June 2008
President	Ali Abdullah Saleh
Prime Minister	Abdul Qadir Bajamal Ali Muhammad Mujawar
Personal details
Born	August 8, 1955 Ghareer, Shabwah Governorate, Aden Protectorate (now Yemen)
Nationality	Yemeni
Political party	General People's Congress
Children	Rami, Rana, Ro'aa, Randa, Ru'waida[1]
Alma mater	Leipzig University (Ph.D, 1992) Berlin School of Economics and Law (M.Ec., 1988) University of Aden (B.Ec., 1981)
Occupation	Politician, professor, university administrator
Religion	Islam
*Habtour's term has been disputed by Ahmed Obeid bin Daghr.

Abdel-Aziz bin Habtour (born 8 August 1955) is a Yemeni politician who served as Governor of Aden during the Houthi takeover in Yemen. He is a member of the General People's Congress, sitting on its permanent committee since 1995.^[1] An ally of President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, he condemned the 2014–15 Yemeni coup d'état^[2] and received the deposed leader after his flight from the Houthi-controlled capital of Sana'a on 21 February 2015.^[3] He is also a vocal opponent of the separatist movement in the former South Yemen, saying the movement is too fractured and small to achieve its goals.^[4][5]

In October 2016, bin Habtour was appointed as Prime Minister in the Houthi-led parallel government.

Bin Habtour served as Deputy Minister of Education from 2001 to 2008 and subsequently as Rector of the University of Aden.^[1]

Professional career

The University of Aden employed bin Habtour as a prorector from 1994 to 2001. In 2001, President Ali Abdullah Saleh named bin Habtour to serve as Deputy Minister of Education, an office he held until 2008.^[1] Afterward, he became president and rector of the University of Aden.^[6]

President Hadi appointed bin Habtour as Governor of Aden by decree on 22 December 2014.^[7] He was sworn three days later.^[8][9] As Aden's new governor, he confronted the unrest created by the Houthi takeover in 2015, including a pro-separatist uprising in Aden seaport.^[5] He also met with Hadi after he fled to Aden from the capital of Sana'a.^[3]

At some point during the months-long battle for Aden in 2015, bin Habtour fled the city.^[10] In July, the Yemeni government-in-exile in Saudi Arabia announced the appointment of his former deputy, Nayef al-Bakri, as governor.^[11]

Premiership

On 2 October 2016, he was appointed as Prime Minister by the Houthis.^[12] On 4 October, he formed his cabinet.^[13] The cabinet is composed by members of the Southern Movement.^[14] However, the cabinet is not internationally recognized.^[15]

On 28 November 2016, a new cabinet was formed.^[16] Ansarullah and the General People's Congress announced a government of national salvation to be led by Habtour. He then said that the new coalition would be a vital step towards re-organizing Yemen's internal affairs and dealing with the consequences of the Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen.^[17]

However, the UN Special Envoy for Yemen Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed said the move was "a new and unnecessary obstacle. Yemen is at a critical juncture. The actions recently taken by Ansarullah and the General People's Congress will only complicate the search for a peaceful solution. The parties must hold Yemen’s national interests above narrow partisan ambitions and take immediate steps to end political divisions and address the country’s security, humanitarian and economic challenges." He further claimed that such an action could harm peace talks.^[18]

Personal life

Bin Habtour was born in 1955 in the Shabwah Governorate, part of what was then the British Aden Protectorate. He earned a bachelor's degree in economics and administration from the University of Aden in 1981, a master's degree in economics from the Berlin School of Economics and Law in 1988, and a doctorate from Leipzig University in 1992. He is married with five children.^[1]

References

1. "Curriculum Vitae" (PDF). University of Aden. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
2. "Southern Yemen moves towards secession as Houthis call for reconciliation". Asharq al-Awsat. 28 January 2015. Retrieved 22 February 2015.
3. "Yemen leader meets governors after fleeing capital". Daily Mail. 22 February 2015. Retrieved 22 February 2015.
4. Al-Arashi, Fakhri (15 February 2015). "Aden's Governor Says Secession Impossible". National Yemen. Retrieved 22 February 2015.
5. Mukhashaf, Mohammed (16 February 2015). "Forces loyal to president seize parts of Yemen's economic hub". Reuters. Retrieved 22 February 2015.
6. "To be affected by the world crisis, determined by relation to Washington: Mahatir". Almotamar.net. 24 December 2008. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
7. "Republican Decree Appoints Seven Governors". Yemen Observer. 25 December 2014. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
8. "Newly-appointed governors sworn in". Saba News Agency. 26 December 2014. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
9. "Newly-appointed governors sworn in before President Hadi". President of the Republic of Yemen. 25 December 2014. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
10. "UAE team arrives in Yemen to reopen Aden airport - The National".
11. "Yemen death toll from rebel shelling doubles to nearly 100, aid group says". CTV News. 20 July 2015. Retrieved 5 December 2015.
12. "Yemen's Houthis ask former Aden governor to form government". 2 October 2016 – via Reuters.
13. "Yemen rebels form rival government".
14. https://en.qantara.de/content/yemen-rebels-form-rival-government
15. "UN rejects Yemen rebels' bid to form government". Gulf News. 5 October 2016.
16. "Saba Net - Yemen news agency".
17. "PressTV-Houthi: New govt. meant to better serve nation".
18. "PressTV-New Yemen government criticized by UN".