Annika Clasen-Idris, the official spokesperson for the German Federal Foreign Office in the Middle East and North Africa, has issued a formal apology following a protocol error in which Dr. Rashad Al-Alimi, Chairman of the Presidential Leadership Council, was incorrectly referred to as the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

In a statement posted on her official "X" account, Idris emphasized that the mistake was entirely unintentional and resulted from a technical overlap with another draft being prepared simultaneously. She further clarified that the Ministry is fully cognizant of President Al-Alimi’s official capacity and stature.

The incident occurred when a previous post noted that German official Johann Wadephul had held discussions with his "Yemeni counterpart" Rashad Al-Alimi. This misidentification drew significant attention as Al-Alimi heads the Presidential Leadership Council, the highest political authority in Yemen, rather than the foreign ministry portfolio. The error had initially prompted questions regarding the precision of the German Foreign Office’s diplomatic communications and its engagement with the Yemeni file.