Yemen: Government welcomes Saudi statement on events in Hadramawt and Al-Mahra
The legitimate Yemeni government expressed its strong welcome and full support for the statement issued by the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which included a clear and responsible stance regarding the recent developments in the Hadramawt and Al-Mahra governorates. The government commended the Kingdom's consistent commitment to containing any escalation that could threaten civil peace, and its ongoing efforts to protect the interests of the Yemeni people and preserve national gains in the eastern governorates, which constitute a strategic depth for the country.
Strategic importance and sensitive timing
The governorates of Hadramawt and Al-Mahra hold paramount geopolitical and economic importance on the Yemeni map. Hadramawt represents the country's largest oil reserves and geographical area, while Al-Mahra serves as Yemen's eastern gateway, overlooking the Arabian Sea. The Saudi move at this sensitive juncture aims to thwart any attempts to drag these relatively safe regions into the arena of military conflict, which could derail efforts to restore the state and exacerbate the suffering of its citizens.
Rejection of unilateral actions outside state institutions
The government statement, carried by the official Yemeni news agency Saba, affirmed that any military or security actions, including those recently undertaken by the Southern Transitional Council, must be fully compliant with constitutional and institutional frameworks and under the supervision of the Presidential Leadership Council. The government stressed that unilateral actions taken without prior coordination with the political leadership and the coalition are a factor that escalates tensions and hinders the national reconciliation process sponsored by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia through the Riyadh Agreement and subsequent consultations.
Saudi efforts to contain the situation and support stability
In its efforts to defuse the crisis, Saudi Arabia spearheaded intensive initiatives in coordination with the United Arab Emirates and the Presidential Leadership Council. These efforts included deploying joint teams to manage security arrangements, ensuring the withdrawal of unauthorized forces and the handover of camps and security responsibilities to the "Homeland Shield" forces—a step aimed at unifying military command and strengthening state authority.
The Yemeni government reiterated its commitment to a just resolution of the Southern issue in accordance with agreed-upon frameworks, rejecting escalation or the imposition of a fait accompli by force. It also commended Saudi Arabia's continued political, economic, and developmental support, which it described as the cornerstone of the resilience of legitimate state institutions in the face of current challenges, and called on all parties to prioritize the supreme national interest and respond immediately to calls for de-escalation.
