Second round of South-South Dialogue in Aden

[4 May 2019] The second round of the South-South Dialogue, initiated by the Southern Transition Council a year ago, began in Aden. The first meeting was held in the presence of President Aydaroos al-Zubaydi and Mr. Marwan Ali, Director of the Office of the UN Special Envoy for Yemen. Furthermore, activists, representatives of international and South Yemeni organizations, as well as representatives of various parties and political groups participated in the meeting.

President al-Zubaydi emphasized in his opening speech that the Southern Transition Council is convinced of the importance of the dialogue within the South Yemeni population. The Council is open to various opinions that support the peace, freedom and independence aspirations of the South Yemeni people. The Council relies on the willingness of the various South Yemeni groups to cooperate in order to reach a political agreement that would allow the South Yemenis to have a secure future. In the first round of the South-South Dialogue, the South Yemeni factions that aspire to reestablish an independent state already got closer. The Council hopes for further convergence between the groups.

The current talks are occurring under difficult conditions, as the Houthi rebels are attacking the South Yemeni border in al-Dhalia and striving for a capture of South Yemen. Therefore, the Southern Transition Council calls on all South Yemeni factions to hold together in order to protect the South Yemeni population from this threat. President al-Zubaydi also asks all political groups to make reciprocal concessions and to support the common political goal of restoring the state in South Yemen. In this sense, all South Yemeni groups are asked to act politically efficient in order to form a representation of the South Yemeni population for the UN-led political process, in which this representation can enforce the interests of the people in South Yemen.

Ahmad Bin Burik, President of the National Assembly, appealed to the participants to overcome their differences and to devote themselves to the main goal of the independence of South Yemen. Speakers from various factions, youth and diplomats followed him. They as well emphasized the importance of the South-South Dialogue.