Yemen: Cabinet warns against complacency with violations or price manipulation.

Arab Sea Newspaper - Follow-ups

Arabian Sea - Yemen - Follow-ups: The Council of Ministers, in its regular meeting today, Wednesday, in the temporary capital, Aden, chaired by Prime Minister Dr. Salem Saleh bin Brik, affirmed that it will not tolerate any violations, monopolistic practices, or price manipulation, stressing the continuation of field work and the intensification of strict control over markets, with the aim of controlling prices and ensuring the sale of goods to citizens at fair prices. The Council clarified that the regulatory campaigns are not directed against the private sector or merchants, but rather aim to control markets and protect consumers, pointing to integrated plans to secure the basic needs of citizens, keep pace with positive economic changes in a way that reflects on improving the standard of living, and reduce the costs of services, including the fees of private schools, universities, and hospitals, in addition to strengthening control over drug prices and actually reducing them. The Council stressed the commitment to legal procedures and professional standards in the implementation of inspection campaigns, and the prevention of any abuses or arbitrary practices against merchants or commercial establishments, obligating local authorities in Aden and the liberated governorates to assume their responsibilities in follow-up and implementation, and activating the role of the offices specialized in monitoring prices and services, and implementing the decision to ban the use of foreign currencies as an alternative to the national currency in financial transactions and contracts. The Council also pointed out the need to reflect the decrease in the prices of oil derivatives, especially gasoline and diesel, on the prices of agricultural products, fish, transportation services, and others. The Prime Minister affirmed that the government is proceeding with the implementation of comprehensive economic, financial, and administrative reforms, according to a clear plan, and in coordination with the Presidential Leadership Council and the Central Bank of Yemen, to ensure the stability of the exchange rate, raise the efficiency of state institutions in monitoring and combating corruption, and optimize the use of resources in a way that serves the lives of citizens. He stressed that the improvement in the exchange rate "is not just an economic figure," vowing not to allow any party or individual to exploit this improvement to achieve illegitimate gains at the expense of citizens' livelihoods, and affirming the government's keenness on an effective partnership with the private sector that guarantees it fair profit margins, in exchange for its commitment to reducing prices in proportion to the economic improvement. The Council valued the generous support and fraternal stances of the coalition to support legitimacy led by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, considering this support a fundamental pillar for the steadfastness of the Yemeni people and the continued ability of the government to perform its tasks despite the challenges. The Council called for the provision of urgent support to maintain the stability of the exchange rate, stressing that the support of Yemen's partners from donor countries and organizations is a crucial element in strengthening confidence between the citizen and the government, consolidating opportunities for economic recovery, and alleviating the severity of the humanitarian crisis caused by the policies of the Houthi militia.