Saudi Arabia to Host Inclusive Conference on Yemen’s Southern Issue at Al-Alimi’s Request
Riyadh, The Gulf Observer: Saudi Arabia has welcomed a request from Rashad al-Alimi, Chairman of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, to host a comprehensive conference in Riyadh bringing together all southern Yemeni political components to address the “just southern cause” through dialogue.
In a statement, the Kingdom said the initiative aligns with its long-standing position that the southern issue is a legitimate political matter with historical and social dimensions and can only be resolved through dialogue within a comprehensive political settlement in Yemen. Saudi Arabia affirmed its readiness to host and sponsor the conference, urging all southern Yemeni factions to participate constructively to develop an inclusive and sustainable vision reflecting the legitimate aspirations of the people of southern governorates.
The initiative follows Al-Alimi’s formal request to Saudi Arabia, highlighting the Kingdom’s pivotal role in supporting Yemen’s security, stability, and political consensus-building efforts. A senior Yemeni presidential source noted that Al-Alimi has closely monitored appeals from southern political forces and community leaders seeking to safeguard the southern issue from unilateral actions or exclusionary approaches.
The source emphasized that the southern issue remains central to building a modern Yemeni state and cannot be monopolized by any single party or addressed through unilateral measures. Any lasting solution, the statement said, must emerge from a collective national will and an inclusive dialogue process grounded in Yemen’s National Dialogue Conference outcomes, the Gulf Initiative and its executive mechanism, the Riyadh Agreement, GCC-sponsored consultations, the Declaration of Transfer of Power, and relevant UN Security Council resolutions.
Al-Alimi reiterated the state’s commitment to protecting civil peace, rejecting the imposition of political realities by force, and safeguarding citizens’ rights, security, and stability. He emphasized Yemen’s openness to all institutional and peaceful initiatives contributing to a fair and comprehensive resolution of the southern issue.
Meanwhile, southern political groups criticized what they described as unilateral actions by Aidarus al-Zubaidi, accusing him of attempting to impose exclusive representation of the south and advance agendas harmful to southern unity. The groups called for an inclusive Saudi-sponsored dialogue conference to reach a comprehensive framework that ensures peaceful coexistence, political participation, and sustainable development across southern governorates.
