Aden, Yemen – The Administrative Board of the National Assembly of the Southern Transitional Council held its regular meeting today, Wednesday, in the capital, Aden, chaired by Essam Abdo Ali, Acting President of the National Assembly. The meeting addressed the latest developments in the general situation and the critical political junctures the country is experiencing. It also discussed what it described as direct targeting of the Southern cause and its political leadership.
During the meeting, the Administrative Board called upon the people of the South, from Al-Mahra in the east to Bab al-Mandab in the west, to participate widely and mobilize in response to the call of President Aidarus Qasim al-Zubaidi. It also called for active participation in the “Million-Man March of Steadfastness and Popular Escalation,” scheduled for Friday, January 23, 2026, in both the capital, Aden, and Hadramawt Governorate. The Board emphasized that this event represents a highly significant political and popular message at a pivotal and sensitive time. Furthermore, it reflects the level of national awareness and popular support for the Southern cause and its leadership.
The body commended the resounding success of the two previous million-person marches, noting the significant public momentum and responsible national engagement they generated, considering it a reaffirmation of the southern people’s commitment to their legitimate rights and national cause.
The administrative body also strongly condemned what it described as the baseless and malicious accusations targeting President Aidarus al-Zubaidi. It emphasized that these campaigns do not serve the political process or contribute to stability, but rather aim to disrupt the situation and undermine the efforts undertaken under the auspices of the Arab Coalition.
She emphasized the importance of unity among southerners and rallying around the leadership of the Southern Transitional Council, as the political representative of the southern cause. She affirmed that this cause represents a national right and an identity that cannot be extinguished by the passage of time.
In a related context, the body expressed its condemnation of the serious security developments in Hadramawt Governorate, including human rights violations, political persecutions, and arrests without legal justification. It warned of the repercussions of these actions on social peace. It also held the local authorities responsible for the looting, pillaging, and attacks on public and private property.
The body stressed the necessity of including the Southern Transitional Council as a fully empowered partner in any future southern dialogue. This dialogue must be held under regional, international, and UN auspices, in a neutral country, to guarantee the integrity of the political process and its outcomes.
