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Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi
عبدربه منصور هادي
Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi.jpg
Hadi in 2013
2nd President of Yemen
In office
27 February 2012 – 7 April 2022
Disputed from 22 January 2015
Prime Minister
Vice President
Preceded by Ali Abdullah Saleh
Succeeded by Rashad al-Alimi (as Chairman of the Presidential Leadership Council)
Abdul-Malik al-Houthi(De-Facto leader of Yemen)
Chairman of the General People's Congress
In office
21 October 2015 – 7 April 2022
Disputed with Ahmed Saleh and Sadeq Amin Abu Rass
Preceded by Ali Abdullah Saleh
Succeeded by Vacant
Vice President of Yemen
In office
3 October 1994 – 27 February 2012
President Ali Abdullah Saleh
Prime Minister
  • Abdul Aziz Abdul Ghani
  • Faraj Said Bin Ghanem
  • Abd Al-Karim Al-Iryani
  • Abdul Qadir Bajamal
  • Ali Muhammad Mujawar
  • Mohammed Basindawa
Preceded by Ali Salem al Beidh
Succeeded by Khaled Bahah
Defense Minister of Yemen
In office
30 May 1994 – 3 October 1994
President Ali Abdullah Saleh
Prime Minister Muhammad Said al-Attar
Preceded by Haitham Qasem Taher
Succeeded by Abdel Malik al-Sayani
Personal details
Born (1945-09-01) 1 September 1945 (age 79)
Thukain, Al Wade'a District, Abyan, Aden Protectorate
Nationality Yemeni
Political party General People's Congress
Military service
Allegiance
Branch/service  Yemeni Land Forces
Years of service 1964–2022
Rank Field marshal
Battles/wars

Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi (born 1 September 1945) is a Yemeni politician and military officer. He was the second President of Yemen from 2012 until 2022. Before that, he served as the second Vice President of Yemen from 1994 to 2012. He worked under President Ali Abdullah Saleh.

Hadi was also a Field marshal in the Yemeni Armed Forces. From June to September 2011, he was the Acting President. This happened while Ali Abdullah Saleh was getting medical care in Saudi Arabia. Saleh had been hurt in an attack during the 2011 Yemeni uprising. In November, Hadi became Acting President again. This was because Saleh stepped back from his role.

Mansour Hadi was chosen as president for a two-year period on 21 February 2012. He was the only candidate agreed upon by Yemen's political groups. However, some groups, like the Houthis, did not take part in the election. His time as president was extended for another year in January 2014.

On 22 January 2015, Hadi was forced to resign by the Houthis. This happened during protests against his decision to raise fuel prices. The Houthis and Saleh's supporters took over the presidential palace. They placed Hadi under house arrest. A month later, Hadi escaped to his hometown of Aden. He then said his resignation was not valid. He spoke out against the Houthi takeover. He went to Riyadh the next day. A group of countries led by Saudi Arabia then stepped in to support his government.

In 2022, Hadi stepped down from his role. He gave his power to a new group called the Presidential Leadership Council. This council is led by Rashad al-Alimi. This change happened during efforts to bring peace to Yemen's civil war.

Early Life and Military Career

Hadi 2
Young Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi during his service as a captain in the army of South Yemen, around 1972.

Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi was born on 1 September 1945. He was born in Thukain, a village in southern Yemen. He finished military school in 1966. He was offered a scholarship to study in Britain. But he could not go because he did not speak English.

Hadi became a Major General in the military of South Yemen. In 1970, he studied tank warfare in Egypt. He then spent four years in the Soviet Union learning about military leadership. He held many military jobs in South Yemen. In 1986, he moved to North Yemen. This happened after a civil war in South Yemen.

During the 1994 civil war in Yemen, Hadi supported the government. He became the Minister of Defense. He led the military against the opposing forces. After the war, he was promoted to Vice-president on 3 October 1994.

President of Yemen

Becoming President

Hadi was the only person running in the presidential election. This election took place on 21 February 2012. Both the ruling party and the opposition supported him. The election commission said that 65 percent of voters participated. Hadi won with all the votes. He officially became President of Yemen on 27 February 2012. This was when Ali Abdullah Saleh formally left the presidency.

Political Changes

Secretary Clinton Meets With Yemeni President Hadi (8026623870)
Hillary Clinton meets Hadi in New York, 2012.

In March 2013, the National Dialogue Conference began. This meeting was important for Yemen's future. It brought together different groups to talk about key issues. In January 2014, Hadi pushed the groups to finish their discussions. They agreed that Yemen would become a federal government. This means power would be shared more locally.

Some people in Yemen did not like this idea. Especially those in the poorer, mountainous northwest. They worried they would get less money from the central government. They also feared losing access to the sea.

Secretary Kerry and Yemeni President Hadi Address Reporters (Pic 2)
Hadi meets U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, 29 July 2013.

Military Reforms

Hadi worked to unite the Yemeni Armed Forces. The military had been divided since the Yemeni Revolution. In December 2012, he made a plan to reorganize the military. It was split into five main parts: Air Force, Army, Navy, Border Troops, and Strategic Reserve Forces. The Strategic Reserve Forces replaced the old Republican Guard.

Security Challenges

Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, left, escorts Yemen's President Abd Rabuh Mansur Hadi, right, through an honor cordon and into the Pentagon in Arlington, Va., on July 30, 2013 130730-D-NI589-024
President Hadi meets then-Secretary of Defense Hagel in the Pentagon on 30 July 2013.

From the start, Hadi said fighting Al-Qaeda was a main goal. He told the British Foreign Secretary, "We will fight terrorism with full force." He said they would chase terrorists to their last hiding place.

In September 2012, Hadi warned about civil war. He said Yemen could become "worse than Afghanistan." This would happen if the national talks failed. He also said Yemen faced "three undeclared wars." These were from al Qaeda, pirates, and Houthi rebels.

Rebel Takeover and Civil War

Secretary Kerry Shakes Hands With Yemeni President Hadi Before Bilateral Meeting in Saudi Arabia (17212641020)
Hadi and John Kerry in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 7 May 2015

In September 2014, the Houthis took over Sana'a. Hadi was forced to agree to a power-sharing deal. The Houthis refused to join the "unity government." But they kept control of key places in Sana'a. They also held land in northern Yemen.

Hadi resigned on 21 January 2015. Three days later, the Houthis took over the presidential palace. Hadi and his ministers were kept under house arrest.

The Vice President, Shri M. Hamid Ansari meeting the President of Yemen, Mr. Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, on the sidelines of 20th Indian Ocean Rim Association Leaders’ Summit, in Jakarta, Indonesia on March 07, 2017

After leaving Sana'a, Hadi went to his hometown of Aden. On 21 February, he said the Houthis' actions were against the law. On 26 March 2015, Hadi arrived in Riyadh. Saudi Arabia and its allies then launched airstrikes in Yemen. This was to support Hadi's government against the Houthis.

Resignation

On 7 April 2022, Hadi announced he was stepping down. He fired his Vice President, Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar. He gave his power to a new eight-member Presidential Leadership Council. This council is led by Rashad al-Alimi. Hadi said the council would talk with the Houthi rebels. Their goal was to agree on a lasting ceasefire. The new council leader had strong ties with Saudi Arabia.

Some officials from Saudi Arabia and Yemen said Hadi was pressured to give up power. They claimed he received a written order from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. This order was to transfer his authority to the council.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Abd Rabbuh Mansur al-Hadi para niños

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