Abdul Karim Abdullah Al-Arashi
Al-Arashi in 1990
President of North Yemen (Chairman of the Presidential Council of Yemen Arab Republic)
In office 24 June 1978 – 18 July 1978
Prime Minister	Abdul Aziz Abdul Ghani
Deputy	Ali Abdullah Saleh
Preceded by	Ahmad al-Ghashmi
Succeeded by	Ali Abdullah Saleh
Vice President of North Yemen (Yemen Arab Republic)
In office 11 October 1977 – 24 June 1978
President	Ahmad al-Ghashmi
Preceded by	Ahmad al-Ghashmi
Succeeded by	Himself
First Vice President of Yemen Arab Republic
In office July 1978 – May 1990
President	Ali Abdullah Saleh
Preceded by	Himself
President of the North Yemen legislature[1]
In office February 1978 – 22 May 1990
Preceded by	Abdullah ibn Husayn al-Ahmar
Personal details
Born	22 July 1929 Sana’a, Yemen
Died	10 June 2006(2006-06-10) (aged 71) Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Abdul Karim Abdullah al-Arashi (22 July 1929 – 10 June 2006) (Arabic: عبد الكريم عبد الله العرشي, romanized: ʿAbd al-Karīm ʿAbd Allāh al-ʿArāshī), was a Yemeni politician who served as the President of the Yemen Arab Republic briefly from 24 June to 18 July 1978. ^[2] He was preceded by Ahmed Al-Ghashmi and succeeded by Ali Abdullah Saleh.^[3] He also served as Vice President of Yemen Arab Republic, from 1978 to 1990, and the Speaker of the Constituent People's Assembly (Parliament) from 1978 to 1988, and the president of the Shura Council from 1988 to 1990.^[1]

A statement by the president's office noted that Al-Arashi played an important role in the 1962 Yemeni revolution and in defending its goals. “Throughout the various positions he held, he proved to be steadfast and highly competent,” the statement indicated.^{[citation needed]}

He died on June 10, 2006, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia aged 71.^[4]

Early life

Born in 1934 in Sana’a city North Yemen, Al-Arashi received his basic education in Sana’a and completed his studies at the Scientific School. He then embarked upon judiciary and administrative work while he was young. After the September 26 revolution, he became more prominent at the political level, as he participated in various military campaigns in defence of the revolution.^[5]

Career

Al-Arashi held numerous prominent positions, being appointed Minister of Finance twice, during which he established the state's first budget. He also was appointed Minister of Local Administration whereupon he reformulated the Local Governance Law.^[7]

Following President Ahmed Al-Ghashmi's assassination, He was appointed Chairman of the Presidential Council of the former Yemen Arab Republic (also known as North Yemen) from June 24 to July 18, 1978. Shortly thereafter, he was elected chairman of the People's Council (Parliament) as well as vice president in the same year.^[8]

In 1988, Al-Arashi unanimously was elected Shura Council president. Two years later, namely on the occasion of reunification, he was elected a member of the Presidential Council. In 1997, he was appointed a consultant to the president.^[9]