Dr. Rashad al-Alimi, head of the Presidential Leadership Council in Yemen, announced a significant political step aimed at unifying ranks and addressing outstanding issues in the Yemeni landscape. He revealed that the Council has submitted a formal request to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to host and sponsor a "comprehensive southern conference" in Riyadh. This request, addressed to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, and his Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman, underscores the Council's strong confidence in the Kingdom's pivotal role in supporting Yemen's stability and fostering various peace initiatives.
The Southern Issue: A Central Issue in Building the Modern State
In statements carried by the Yemeni News Agency (SABA), Al-Alimi stressed that the Southern issue is not merely a passing political matter, but rather a "just and pivotal cause" in the process of building a modern Yemeni state. The head of the Leadership Council affirmed that there is no disagreement regarding the right of the people of the southern governorates to a fair resolution of their issue, one that takes into account all the historical and social dimensions the region has experienced. He indicated that a just solution to this issue is the true path to sustainable stability.
Historical context and efforts to unify the home front
This call comes at a sensitive time for Yemen, as the Presidential Leadership Council, formed in April 2022 following the Riyadh consultations, seeks to strengthen internal cohesion among the various political and military factions opposed to the Houthis. The Southern issue remains one of the most prominent files that has been present in the Yemeni political landscape since unification in 1990 and the events that followed, including the Comprehensive National Dialogue Conference in 2013, and culminating in the 2019 Riyadh Agreement, sponsored by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, to end tensions in the south.
Observers believe that the call to hold a comprehensive southern conference in Riyadh aims to bring together all southern components, including the Southern Transitional Council and the rest of the active forces, under one umbrella to agree on a common vision that guarantees the rights of all and ends the differences that may affect the performance of the legitimacy.
Riyadh: The incubator of Yemeni peace
Al-Alimi praised Saudi Arabia's ongoing role, describing the request to host the conference as a continuation of the Kingdom's historical support for the Yemeni people. Riyadh plays a leading role in the Yemeni file, not only militarily and humanitarianly, but also politically, through its sponsorship of major agreements that have prevented further fragmentation in Yemen. Yemenis are counting on the Kingdom's political weight to ensure the success of this conference and the emergence of a national charter of honor that strengthens partnership.
Rejecting violence and protecting civil peace
Al-Alimi concluded his remarks by emphasizing the political leadership's commitment to protecting civil peace, upholding the principles of partnership and consensus, and rejecting policies of exclusion and marginalization. He categorically rejected imposing facts on the ground by force or using weapons to achieve political gains, calling for an agreement on a "comprehensive national framework" that addresses the southern issue comprehensively and fairly, ensuring the restoration of state institutions and setting the course towards lasting peace.
