The Ambassador of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques to Yemen and Supervisor of the Saudi Program for the Development and Reconstruction of Yemen, Mohammed Al Jaber, affirmed the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's unwavering support for peace, security, and stability efforts in the Republic of Yemen. The Ambassador's remarks clarified recent developments, emphasizing that the Kingdom has been and remains a true supporter of the Yemeni people through various political and economic phases.
Supporting the Southern cause through political dialogue
In discussing the situation in the southern governorates, Al Jaber explained via his account on the "X" platform that the Kingdom has supported and continues to support the southern cause, considering it a just cause with deep historical and social dimensions. He indicated that a genuine and sustainable solution to this issue can only be achieved through constructive political dialogue that meets the aspirations of citizens in the southern governorates, including political entities such as the Southern Transitional Council.
The ambassador warned against the danger of exploiting the southern issue for political gain or to achieve narrow personal gains, stressing that the policies of exclusion and marginalization have harmed the gains of the southerners that were achieved through arduous political paths, starting with the outcomes of the comprehensive national dialogue in 2014, passing through the Riyadh Agreement in 2019, which was sponsored by the Kingdom to mend the rift, and reaching the decision to transfer power and form the Presidential Leadership Council in 2022.
The historical context and the Kingdom's efforts to unify ranks
These statements come at a sensitive time for Yemen, where Saudi Arabia has sought for years to unify the Yemeni ranks to confront shared challenges. Riyadh played a pivotal role in reaching the Riyadh Agreement, which aimed to end military tensions in the south and unify military and security efforts under the umbrella of the legitimate government. The Kingdom believes that any internal military escalation among the factions opposed to the Houthi coup serves only to fuel chaos and weaken legitimate state institutions.
Criticism of unilateral decisions and military escalation
In a frank critique of recent developments, Al Jaber noted that the head of the Southern Transitional Council, Aidarus al-Zubaidi, had taken a series of unilateral decisions that contradicted his political commitments as a member of the Presidential Leadership Council. The ambassador described the military offensive on the governorates of Hadramawt and al-Mahra as the most dangerous of these decisions, given the security breaches and terror it inflicted on civilians in governorates that had remained largely untouched by the direct conflict and which constitute a vital economic artery for Yemen.
The ambassador revealed that Saudi Arabia had exerted intensive efforts for weeks to end this escalation, including proposals for the Southern Transitional Council forces to withdraw from the camps and hand them over to the "Homeland Shield" forces in Hadramawt. However, these efforts were met with intransigence, culminating in the refusal to issue a permit for an official Saudi delegation's plane to land in Aden on January 1, 2026, and the closure of Aden Airport to air traffic. The ambassador described this as an irresponsible act that harms the interests of the Yemeni people and undermines joint coordination efforts.
The strategic importance of stability in the eastern provinces
Maintaining security in the governorates of Hadramawt and Al-Mahra is of paramount strategic importance, not only for Yemen but for the entire region. These governorates represent Yemen's geographical and economic heartland, and are a center of oil wealth and border crossings. Any instability there directly impacts the already dire economic situation and hinders the development and reconstruction efforts led by the Kingdom, negatively affecting the lives of ordinary Yemeni citizens.
Al Jaber concluded his remarks by holding Aidarus al-Zubaidi directly responsible for implementing agendas that could create a rift between the people of the South and their brothers in the Kingdom, while expressing his great hope that the wise leaders of the Transitional Council would prevail with reason and wisdom, in order to achieve the aspirations of the Yemeni people in the North and South for peace and development.
