Aden -- Ali Salem al-Beidh, former President of the People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen (South Yemen) and former Vice President of the Republic of Yemen after unification, passed away on January 17, 2026 in Abu Dhabi at the age of 86.

The Yemeni presidency mourned his death, describing him as a national figure and one of the most prominent leaders in Yemen’s contemporary history, noting his role as a key partner in the achievement of Yemeni unification on May 22, 1990.

 Authorities declared three days of official mourning, with flags flown at half-mast and condolence books opened domestically and abroad.
Born on February 10, 1939 in Hadramout Governorate, al-Beidh grew up during the era of resistance against British colonial rule, which shaped his early political consciousness. 

He became active in politics through the National Front and later the Yemeni Socialist Party, eventually serving as its Secretary-General. He later became President of South Yemen and, following unification, Vice President of the Republic of Yemen.

Al-Beidh remains a pivotal figure in Yemen’s modern history, remembered for his role in the 1990 unification and the subsequent 1994 civil war, after which he lived in exile. His passing marks the end of an era for Yemeni politics and a figure whose legacy continues to shape the nation’s trajectory.