ADEN — Maeen Abdulmalik Saeed who was appointed as Yemen’s new prime minister, replacing Ahmed Bin Dagher, was born in Taiz, and he has a PhD in philosophy of architecture and design theories.

He had assumed the post of minister of public works in Bin Dagher’s Cabinet. Saeed, an architect and a technocratic figure, worked in an advisory group in Cairo in the field of planning and construction. He also worked as assistant professor in the engineering faculty at Thamar University. Saeed, whose name emerged during the national dialogue conference, participated with the government delegation in consultation rounds with Houthi militias in the first Geneva conference and in the Swiss city of Biel and in Kuwait. He has balanced relations with the different Yemeni political parties.

Appointing him as premier represents the beginning of a new phase to strengthen the front of the legitimate government in confronting the Houthis and resolving economic challenges.

On Monday, Yemen’s President Abdrabbu Mansour Hadi sacked Ahmed Bin Dagher, blaming him for the economic crisis rocking the war-torn country.

Bin Dagher was to be investigated over the “negligence of his government” Hadi’s statement said.

Yemen is one of the poorest Arab nations and as a result of the war, three-quarters of its population, or 22 million people, require aid and 8.4 million are on the brink of starvation.

Its northern half including the capital Sanaa is largely controlled by the northern Shiite Houthi rebel movement, while Hadi, whom a Saudi-led Arab military coalition is trying to restore to power, contests much of the south with separatist groups.

“This (the dismissal) was a result of negligence by the government in the recent period with respect to the economy and to administrative services,” the statement said.

Bin Dagher has been at odds with the southern separatists and their main backer, the United Arab Emirates, a member of the Saudi-led coalition, which has been fighting the Houthis since 2015.

Bin Dagher tweeted his congratulations to Saeed.

Most Yemenis now live in Houthi-controlled territory, while Hadi government controls the south, backed by a Saudi-led coalition of Arab troops.

The Yemeni currency, the riyal, has lost more than half its value against the dollar since the start of the war. Authorities sought to boost liquidity last year by printing money when it stood at around 250 to the dollar, but it has now plunged in value to about 700 to the dollar. — Al Arabiya English/AFP