Sana'a: Speaker of Parliament Yahya Ali al-Ra'i reviewed on Wednesday the progress of the work of several standing parliamentary committees during his chairmanship of some of their meetings today. During his review of meetings of the Labor and Social Affairs Committee, the Defense and Security Committee, the Development, Oil and Mineral Resources Committee, and the Public Health and Population Committee, Mr. al-Ra'i listened to briefings from the chairpersons and rapporteurs of the standing committees on their performance.
According to Yemen News Agency, Mr. al-Ra'i commended the efforts of the chairpersons, rapporteurs, and members of the standing committees in completing their assigned tasks in both the legislative and oversight spheres, urging the parliamentary committees to finalize their work and submit their findings to Parliament. At the outset of the Labor Committee meeting, the Speaker of the House of Representatives emphasized the importance of preserving the independence of the special funds, which have achieved tangible success by fulfilling their mandates in accordance with their founding laws. He wished the parliamentary committees success in completing their tasks and submitting a report on the outcomes of their meetings with the government.
The Labor and Social Affairs Committee continued its meeting, chaired by Committee Chairman Azzam Salah, with the participation of government representatives, including the Undersecretaries of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor for Social Welfare, Mohammed Aqabat, Economic Empowerment, Dr. Al-Hassan Al-Dhari, and Labor, Ramah Heba, as well as several other relevant officials. The committee reviewed the results of the meeting between the Speaker's Office and the heads and rapporteurs of the standing committees regarding the Labor and Social Affairs Committee's discussions on the funds.
The committee reviewed the complaint submitted to the council regarding government procedures related to the merger of certain special funds and government entities and departments. This included government recommendations to merge some funds under different names and restructure others, including a complaint from the National Union of Yemeni Associations for the Disabled. The complaint concerned the negative impact on associations, centers, and institutions serving people with disabilities in the Republic of Yemen of the proposed transfer of the Fund for the Care and Rehabilitation of the Disabled from its current legal status as a financially and administratively independent institution to a general department within the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor.
Following discussion, the committee resolved to continue its work to examine the content of the complaint and find solutions that do not conflict with existing laws. It also resolved to task the government with providing the committee with written responses regarding the items on the meeting's agenda.
In a related matter, the Speaker of the House of Representatives reviewed the performance of the Development, Oil, and Mineral Resources Committee and the tasks it is undertaking within its mandate. He urged the completion of the tasks and duties referred to the committee based on the outcomes of the expanded meeting of the Council's Presidium and the heads and rapporteurs of the Council's standing committees, particularly those related to the mercenaries' actions that infringe upon national sovereignty and the resources of the Yemeni people. He specifically mentioned the recent Saudi announcement of a so-called draft memorandum of understanding between the Saudi Geological Survey and the mercenary government, and the risks it poses to Yemeni sovereignty.
The Speaker of Parliament reiterated the Parliament's warning against these actions, which aim to undermine Yemen's unity, sovereignty, security, and stability. He also cautioned against aligning with plans for partition or harming the Yemeni people's resources, wealth, unity, security, and stability.
The Development, Oil, and Mineral Resources Committee continued its meeting, chaired by Committee Chairman Mohammed Suwar, with the participation of the relevant government representatives, including the Deputy Head of the Geological Survey and Mineral Resources Authority, as well as the Head of the Services Committee, Ali al-Kaboudi, the Rapporteur of the Finance Committee, Mohammed Mansour al-Bakri, and the Rapporteur of the Manpower Committee, Abdu al-Adla. The committee reviewed the topics referred to it in light of the results of the expanded meeting of the Council's Presidium and the heads and rapporteurs of the standing committees. It approved a request for the relevant government officials to attend and discuss these issues and to provide the Council with the results.
In a related context, the Defense and Security Committee, chaired by its rapporteur, Brigadier General Ahmed Nasser Shayea, reviewed the topics referred to it by the Council's Presidium following its meeting with the heads and rapporteurs of the Council's standing committees. The committee began a preliminary discussion of the Acting Prime Minister's letter regarding the draft amendment to Law No. 15 of 2000 concerning the Police Authority. The committee listened to the observations of its members regarding the importance of updating and developing laws to meet the current needs and address present challenges. The committee approved a request for the relevant government officials and stakeholders to attend and discuss the draft law and to provide the Council with a report on the results of their review of the draft law.
The Public Health and Population Committee, chaired by Dr. Mahmoud Al-Harib, reviewed the topics referred to it by the Council's Presidium during its meeting today, following the mandate given at the expanded meeting that included the heads and rapporteurs of the Council's standing committees. The committee held a preliminary discussion of the government's memoranda regarding the draft law on clinical pharmaceutical trial procedures, as well as the draft law on regulating the transplantation of human organs. The committee approved a request for the relevant government officials and stakeholders to attend a discussion of the two draft laws and to submit a report to the Council on the results of its study.