Rashad al-Alimi
Rashad Mohammed al-Alimi (born 15 January 1954) is a Yemeni politician, academic, and major general who has served as Chairman of the Presidential Leadership Council since 7 April 2022, leading the internationally recognized government of Yemen amid the ongoing civil war against Houthi forces.[1][2][3] Born in Taiz City, al-Alimi graduated third in his class with a bachelor's degree in military sciences from the Police Academy in Kuwait in 1975, followed by a bachelor's in arts from Sana’a University in 1977, a master's in sociology from Ain Shams University in Egypt in 1984, and a PhD in sociology from the same institution in 1988.[1][2] His early career included lecturing at the Police Academy in Sana’a from 1975 to 1977 and serving as an officer in the Criminal Investigation Department from 1978 to 1981, before becoming a professor at Sana’a University in 1989.[1][2] Al-Alimi held key security roles under previous Yemeni administrations, including Minister of Interior from 2001 to 2006 and Deputy Prime Minister for Security Affairs from 2006 to 2011, focusing on internal stability and counterterrorism efforts.[2][3] In his current position, he chairs an eight-member council formed to replace President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, coordinating military, diplomatic, and humanitarian responses to the Houthi insurgency, which controls Sana’a and significant territory, while engaging in peace negotiations and receiving support from the Saudi-led coalition.[3][4] His leadership has emphasized restoring legitimacy and addressing Yemen's humanitarian crisis, though it faces criticism over governance issues such as alleged nepotism in appointments.[5][6]