SANAA

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry expressed his country's support for the new Yemeni government in a Monday phone call with the Yemeni president.

"Kerry expressed Washington's support for the steps taken by President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi towards fulfilling the needs of the transitional phase as per the Gulf Initiative," Yemen's state-run SABA news agency reported.

The success of the new government, the news agency asserted, will "contribute to convincing the international community to support Yemen economically, allowing it to overcome the current challenges."

Washington's top diplomat also congratulated Hadi on the formation of the new government in accordance with the Peace and National Partnership Agreement, which came out of the national dialogue.

The new government was sworn in on Sunday following weeks of deadlock among Yemen's political factions over the formation of the new cabinet.

The new cabinet includes 37 ministers, including the prime minister, according to Yemen's state television.

There are 29 newcomers in the new government, while seven cabinet ministers retained their posts.

The new cabinet includes members of the powerful Shiite Houthi group, along with figures from the Al-Hirak southern separatist movement.

Yemen has recently appeared on the verge of civil war, as the Shiite Houthis seek to expand their influence beyond capital Sanaa – where they assumed control in September – to other parts of the country.

The Houthis backed the appointment of Khaled Bahah as the new premier after opposing the earlier nomination of Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak, Hadi's office director, to succeed Mohamed Basindawa, who resigned in September.

www.aa.com.tr/en