By Ali Oweida
SANAA
President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi tasked Khaled Bahah, Yemen's envoy to the U.N., to form a new government after the country's political forces agreed on the diplomat's appointment to the premiership, the state-run Saba news agency has reported.
"A presidential decree was issued today assigning Khaled Mahfouz Bahah to form a government," the news agency reported.
On Monday, Hadi met with representatives of Yemen's political forces to discuss the appointments.
"After consulting and reviewing several candidates, all advisers unanimously agreed to nominate Bahah [for the post of prime minister]," the news agency said.
The development comes five days after prime minister-designate Ahmed bin Mubarak turned down the post, shortly after the Shiite Houthi movement had called for demonstrations against his appointment.
Last week, Hadi tasked bin Mubarak, his office director, with forming a new government as part of a deal signed with the Houthi leadership aimed at ending a lingering political crisis.
The agreement was meant to end three weeks of demonstrations and clashes between Houthi protesters and army troops, which led capital Sanaa to fall into the hands of Houthis late last month.
Bin Mubarak's appointment, however, was rejected by the Houthi leadership, who argued that the choice of the PM-designate had been "dictated" by Washington.
The Houthis are currently in full control of government institutions in the capital, including the Defense Ministry – a dramatic shift in the balance of power that has sent shockwaves across the Arabian Peninsula, where there is a growing fear of a Shiite uprising in Yemen.
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