Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi: The march to protect Yemen and the partnership with Saudi Arabia

Former Yemeni President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, who led the country through one of its most critical and complex historical periods, has a distinguished record of major political and military transformations in the modern history of the Republic of Yemen. His name is synonymous with defending the legitimate institutions of the state and the unity of its territory, based on a sincere national vision and a close strategic partnership with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to protect Yemen from destabilizing foreign interference.

The upbringing and early military career of President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi

Hadi was born on September 1, 1945, in the village of Dakin, in the Al-Wadi’a district of Abyan Governorate in southern Yemen. He began his career by joining the military at an early age, graduating from the Aden Protectorate Army Military School in 1964. Keen to develop his leadership abilities, he participated in several training missions and advanced military courses in Britain, Egypt, and Russia, where he obtained a master’s degree in military science, which contributed to refining his leadership skills and qualifying him to assume high-ranking positions within the Yemeni military establishment.

Leadership progression and management of the transitional phase in Yemen

Hadi progressed through many important military and administrative positions, holding leadership positions in the Armored Corps and the Armed Forces, and was appointed Minister of Defense in 1994. With the establishment of Yemeni unity in 1990, his name emerged as one of the prominent southern leaders who contributed to building the new state, and he was appointed Vice President of the Republic in October 1994, a position he held for many years.

Following the events of 2011 and the signing of the Gulf Cooperation Council initiative, Hadi assumed the presidency in February 2012 as a consensus president leading a highly sensitive transitional phase. During this time, he strove to preserve the Yemeni state by launching the Comprehensive National Dialogue Conference, which aimed to bring together all political and social forces to formulate a stable, federal Yemen that would meet the aspirations of the Yemeni people.

Strategic partnership with Saudi Arabia and the coalition supporting legitimacy

Yemeni-Saudi relations formed a cornerstone of President Hadi's foreign policy. He deeply believed in the historical and geographical ties that bind the two brotherly nations, describing the relationship with the Kingdom as one of shared destiny that transcends fleeting political interests, reaching towards the horizons of brotherhood and enduring neighborliness.

With the Houthi militia's coup against the legitimate government and their takeover of the capital, Sana'a, in 2014, Hadi led efforts to restore the state with the full support of the Saudi-led coalition. On numerous occasions, Hadi praised the historic and humanitarian role played by the Kingdom, under the leadership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and his Crown Prince, emphasizing that this generous support was crucial in preserving Yemen's Arab identity and preventing the collapse of its national institutions.

Transfer of powers and the future of Yemeni political action

In April 2022, in a courageous and historic move aimed at unifying the Yemeni ranks and opening new horizons for peace and stability, President Hadi announced the transfer of all his powers to the Presidential Leadership Council. This step represented a pivotal shift in the trajectory of the internationally recognized government, ending a full decade of his presidency and affirming his prioritization of the supreme interest of the Yemeni people above any personal or political considerations.

Between the fields of military honor and the corridors of diplomacy and politics, the name of Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi remains engraved in the memory of contemporary Yemen as a leader who faced the fiercest political storms, adhering to constitutional legitimacy and national unity, and establishing a strong historical partnership with the brothers in the Arabian Gulf to protect the region’s security and its regional and international stability.