ALBAWABA- Hadhrami political and tribal leaders have made a significant announcement, revealing the formation of the Hadhrami National Council in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
This decision comes shortly after their meeting with Dr. Rashad Al-Alimi, head of the Yemeni presidential council. The establishment of this council is a response to the unilateral actions taken by the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC), which claims to represent the south of Yemen and advocates for separation. However, the majority of Hadramis have rejected joining the STC.
The formation of the Hadhrami National Council follows weeks of extensive meetings and discussions among political, tribal, and social stakeholders from Hadramout, held in Riyadh. The announcement of the National Hadhrami Council signifies its equal status as a Yemeni political entity, alongside the Southern Transitional Council (STC), and positions it as a partner in future discussions regarding Yemen. After the approval of its charter, the Hadhrami Council establishes itself as a representative body for the Hadhrami people, ensuring their voices are heard in matters concerning Yemen.
So far, Yemen has four national councils, each aligned with a different warring group. The supreme political council in Sana'a is jointly governed by the de facto Houthi armed group and the Public People's Congress Party (the former regime's Sana'a branch).
The Southern Transitional Council, led by Aidrous Al-Zubaidi, aims to divide Yemen into two parts: South and North. The Political Council of the National Resistance, headed by Tariq Saleh (the nephew of the ousted president Saleh), seeks to regain power in Yemen. The internationally recognized Yemeni Presidential Council, led by Dr. Rashad Al-Alimi, includes heads of the last two councils as members.
The establishment of the Hadhrami National Council further indicates divisions and complexities within Yemen. Some view it as a Saudi response to counter UAE influence in the southern region, as the STC serves UAE interests in Yemen. Hadramout, the oil and gas-rich and largest governorate in Yemen by area, approximately 192.000 Km2, one-third of the Yemeni geography, holds strategic importance for Saudi Arabia with long-line borders and a gate to the Arab Sea.
