Yemeni government officials have recently highlighted past obstruction by the Brotherhood group regarding the resumption of oil exports, following Houthi threats to disrupt the process.
Recent statements by the Minister of Oil, Mohammed Bamqai, concerning efforts to resume oil exports have raised questions about the government's strategy to counter the challenges posed by Houthi militia threats. In remarks to the Saudi newspaper "Asharq Al-Awsat," Bamqai confirmed the existence of a security plan to address Houthi threats, in accordance with a decision by the Presidential Leadership Council.
Bamqai revealed that an urgent meeting was held with security and military entities tasked by Rashad Al-Alimi, the President of the Presidential Leadership Council, and "the contracting company." He stated that a security plan was formulated to manage security threats, particularly from the Houthis in Bab al-Mandab. The minister also mentioned the approval of a phased operational mechanism to achieve the goal of resuming oil exports. He directed the ministry to hold meetings with all relevant units, national and foreign institutions, and companies involved with the state to develop urgent plans encompassing all technical, financial, and administrative aspects, with dedicated teams working on these preparations.
The Minister of Oil affirmed the technical readiness of the Ministry of Oil and Minerals to restore operational status, describing it as a technical procedure in the oil industry following extended facility closures, which involves clearing pipelines. He added, "We are currently working on reactivating them and are prepared to commence exports upon receiving an official notification from the contracted company in the coming days." However, the minister did not disclose any details about "the contracting company," upon whose notification the resumption of oil exports is contingent.
This ambiguity in the minister's statements brings to mind the sole attempt made by the government to resume oil exports a year after the Houthi militia's attacks on export terminals. This attempt was revealed through a document published by Brotherhood parliamentarian Ali Ashal, which pertained to a letter from former Prime Minister Moein Abdulmalik to President Rashad Al-Alimi regarding the government's procedures to implement the Council's directives to attempt oil export resumption.
According to the document, Moein had indicated that international oil and security companies approached for the resumption of exports had refused. The Oil Company had managed to secure an offer from an Emirati company to purchase produced oil and undertake the process of securing oil exports in exchange for a discount of 30-35% from the global oil price. This subsequently triggered a fierce campaign by the Brotherhood, attacking the government, accusing it of corruption and compromising national wealth and sovereignty, and even alleging complicity with the Houthi militia in attacking export terminals to facilitate this deal.
Notably, Brotherhood parliamentarian Ali Ashal commented on the document, expressing his objection to what he described as the government's haste in concluding the deal, "despite its knowledge of arrangements for a permanent truce that could allow for the resumption of oil exports." This is seen as a clear justification by the Brotherhood for opposing the government's step at that time to export oil, aiming to prevent the disruption of understandings within the roadmap that granted the Houthi militia a share of oil revenues in exchange for allowing export resumption.
