Diplomatic sources revealed the participation of a leader in the Houthi group, supported by Iran, in an Arab meeting representing Yemen, in a move that raises controversy over the absence of representatives of the internationally recognized government.

The sources explained that the Houthi leader called Ashraf Hassan Al-Madhawi, who currently holds the position of Director General of Internal Audit at the Tax Authority in Sana’a, participated in the Arab symposium to discuss “Governance of Mobility and Regular Migration of Arab Labor,” held in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, on 17- December 18, 2024.

Reports indicated that Al-Mudhahi attended the meeting as a representative of the Yemeni banking and financial business unions, which is considered a diplomatic setback for the legitimate government, especially since his travel took place without the knowledge of the recognized legitimate authorities.

The sources added that the suburbs moved from Sanaa Airport to Amman, and from there to Cairo, in clear defiance of the diplomatic efforts of the Yemeni government to tighten control over the external representation. This incident is considered a new test of the legitimate government's ability to confront the Houthis' attempts to penetrate the international arena.