Shaya al-Zindani

Shaya Mohsen Zindani His family traces its lineage to the northern Arhab region of Sanaa. He attended the University of Aden and graduated with a bachelor's degree in law before studying abroad at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. He received a higher diploma in philosophy, and a doctorate in the philosophy of law,

Diplomatic career After teaching at the University of Aden 1978 to 1981, Zindani joined the diplomatic corps of South Yemen. He was the minister plenipotentiary and chargé d'affaires at the embassy of South Yemen in Baghdad, Iraq, from 1981 to 1982, before serving as deputy foreign minister of South Yemen from 1986 to 1990. serving in these roles until his appointment as foreign minister in 2024.

Minister of Foreign Affairs (2024–2026)

Since 2014, there has been a civil war in Yemen between the Houthis and the internationally recognized government, backed by a Saudi-led coalition. The internationally recognized government is represented by the Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), led by President Rashad al-Alimi. Zindani was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates by al-Alimi on 27 March 2024 to succeed Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak, who was appointed prime minister.

As foreign minister, Zindani sought to strengthen relations with numerous countries including Oman, Egypt, Kuwait, and Vietnam. In June 2024, Zindani held meetings with the foreign ministers of Egypt and Oman, in which their respective foreign ministers emphasized the importance of their countries' relations with Yemen. Upon the fall of the Assad regime, Zindani held his first call with his Syrian caretaker government counterpart Asaad al-Sheibani on 30 December, during which they agreed upon the revitalization of bilateral relations and the reopening of the Yemeni embassy, which had been closed since 2012.

Speaking to The National in a February 2025 interview, Zindani said that "we don't see an end to the war any time soon," and believed Iran would continue to support the Houthis despite the weakening of its proxy network. He said the foreign ministry was engaged in strengthening relations with regional neighbours and was being restructured to reduce corruption. He told Asharq al-Awsat in August that peace negotiations were effectively frozen due to a lack of cooperation from the Houthis on the encouragement of Iran. He voiced support for the Hans Grundberg, the United Nations special envoy to Yemen, "despite his shortcomings in some areas," and urged greater international action to combat Iranian weapons shipments to the Houthis. He emphasized the government's positive relations with China and Saudi Arabia, stating of the latter that they "constantly aspire to coordinate our efforts on the international arena." Amidst a Saudi-backed Yemeni government offensive against the Southern Transitional Council (STC) in early January 2026, Zindani voiced support for the Saudi government's proposed conference between the different factions of southern Yemen. Premiership (2026–present) The PLC appointed Zindani as prime minister on 15 January 2026 following the resignation of Salem Saleh bin Braik, and tasked him with forming a new cabinet. The move came amid turmoil within the government-controlled areas of the country following the collapse of the STC. Political researcher Abdulghani al-Iryani viewed the selection of Zindani, the first prime minister to be born in Dhale, as a means of retaining representation for the southern governorate following the flight of STC leader Aidarus al-Zoubaidi.

The new cabinet was announced on 6 February, with Zindani assuming the position of prime minister while also retaining his role as foreign minister. A total of 35 ministers were included in the cabinet, an increase of 10 members compared to the previous one. Its composition was noted for diversity in terms of professional background and regional and political representation, the latter interpreted by researcher Yaseen al-Tamimi as a return to an appeasement policy towards the different actors in the country. The inclusion of three female ministers was praised by local women's rights activists, while reception in the south was more mixed, with many southern separatists criticizing the new cabinet.

Zindani stated his government's objectives would be "improving living conditions and services, combating corruption," and bringing back territories from Houthi control. The cabinet held its first meeting in Aden on 19 February.

On 23 July 2026, Afrah al-Zouba was appointed foreign minister, ending al-Zindani's term in the position. al-Zouba was the first woman appointed in the role or any of the cabinet's top positions.

Personal life Zindani is married and has three daughters and a son. Besides Arabic, his native language, he speaks English.