As political and military developments escalate in Yemen’s southern and eastern governorates, preparations are underway for a conference aimed at resolving the ‘Southern Issue’ by bringing together all southern factions under Saudi Arabian auspices. Riyadh has welcomed the request of Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council head, Rashad al-Alimi, to host the conference, calling in a statement for ‘all southern components to actively participate in the conference to find a comprehensive vision for just solutions to the Southern Issue that meet the legitimate aspirations of southerners.’
In an exclusive interview with DZWatch, Mutaib Baziyad, Deputy Director of the Yemeni Prime Minister’s Office, addressed questions surrounding the conference, ongoing preparations, opportunities for success, prominent potential participants, and the possibility of the Southern Transitional Council’s (STC) involvement.
When asked about his perspective on the South-South dialogue conference, proposed by al-Alimi and welcomed by Riyadh, Baziyad stated, ‘The peace conference in the eastern and southern governorates of Yemen, slated to be held in Riyadh under the generous patronage of King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, comes within the context of the Kingdom’s efforts to establish peace in Yemen since the Kingdom led the Gulf Cooperation Council initiative in 2011.’ He further noted that this initiative culminated in the Comprehensive National Dialogue Conference in Sana’a in 2013, with the participation of all Yemeni parties and the supervision of the United Nations and countries sponsoring peace in Yemen.
Baziyad emphasized that the roadmap was reinforced by UN Security Council resolutions and the imposition of international sanctions on those obstructing the political settlement in Yemen. ‘With the deterioration of the security situation, Saudi Arabia continued to protect this path by leading the Arab coalition to restore legitimacy, and what it is doing today comes within this context and within the protection of the Yemeni people from any violations by parties outside the national consensus.’
Regarding the conference’s structure and system, Baziyad explained that the preparatory committee would determine the format and composition based on the response of the parties and the number of participants. When questioned about whether he expects the STC to respond to Riyadh’s invitation to the southern peace conference, Baziyad did not directly answer, but indicated that it would be illogical for them not to participate.
Baziyad also described President al-Alimi’s recent decisions as constitutional measures, further underscoring the legitimacy and importance of the ongoing peace process.
