Aidarus al-Zoubaidi for the first time at the General Assembly meeting to make the voice of southerners heard
President of the Southern Transitional Council states that the purpose of his visit to the General Assembly is to meet with regional and international decision-makers to bring Yemen‘s issues back to the forefront of international attention
For the first time, Aidarus al-Zoubaidi, the president of the Southern Transitional Council, is attending the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly to make the voice of Southern Yemen heard worldwide. This visit aims to meet with regional and international decision-makers to bring Yemen’s issues to the forefront of international attention after years of suppression.
A Voice for the South
Aidarus al-Zoubaidi, the Vice President of the Presidential Leadership Council, expressed his happiness at participating in the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. He emphasized that his visit to New York is aimed at meeting with regional and international decision-makers to bring his country’s issues to the forefront of international attention. He is committed to making the voice of the Southern people heard through his participation in the UN General Assembly.
The Issue of Southern Yemen
The issue of Southern Yemen became a legitimate concern after the war that erupted in the 1990s in the name of unity, aiming to fulfill the dream of Southern Yemenis to establish their own state after the victory of the late Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh.
Role in the Resistance
Representatives of the South, particularly the Security Belt forces, played a crucial role in resisting the Houthi rebels, who sought to take control of Southern Yemen after capturing most of the northern provinces, except for Marib, following their coup in 2014 with the support of Iran, in alliance with Saleh before his overthrow.
Preventing Yemen’s Takeover
The Southern Transitional Council successfully repelled Houthi attacks in many provinces in the central and southern regions of the country, becoming a major obstacle to the Houthi’s dream of taking control of the entire Yemen.
Countering Al-Qaeda Threat
The Security Belt forces also played a role in reducing the threat of Al-Qaeda in the South, thereby hindering this organization’s influence both regionally and internationally.
A Key Partner
Given the successes achieved by the Southern Transitional Council and its forces in establishing control over vast areas in Southern Yemen, it has become essential to integrate it into the Presidential Council, with Saudi Arabia leading efforts to reconcile it with the Yemeni presidency since the time of former President Abdrabbo Mansour Hadi.
A Just Cause
The issue of Southern Yemen remains a just cause for Southern Yemenis, regardless of allegations of secession. This is what Aidarus al-Zoubaidi aims to convey to the UN authorities. Emirati academic Abdul Khaleq Abdullah supports this cause, stating that the issue of Southern Yemen is not a secession issue but a national liberation quest. It deserves support from the international community, the peoples of the region, particularly the Arab Gulf countries. It is a state in the making with a distinct identity.
