President Al-Zubaidi receives the envoy of Secretary-General of United Nations at headquarters of STC in Aden the capital

President Aidarous Qassem Al-Zubaidi, President of the Southern Transitional Council (STC), Supreme Commander of the Southern Armed Forces, received on Tuesday, at the headquarters of the Southern Transitional Council in the capital, Aden, the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General of the United Nations to Yemen, Mr. Hans Grundberg.

President Al-Zubaidi welcomed the arrival of the UN envoy and his accompanying delegation to the capital, Aden, stressing the Council’s support for this step, and its provision of all necessary facilities for the success of his visit to Aden, stressing that Aden is the metropolis of peace, and that the Southern Transitional Council and the people of the south are keen on the success of peace efforts in our country.

In the meeting, President Al-Zubaidi presented detailed explanation about the difficult economic and humanitarian situation in the country, and the efforts made by the Transitional Council towards addressing and confronting this situation, stressing that the Council is keen to support government work to improve conditions, and that it participates in the government with the aim of securing the interests of the people.

President Al-Zubaidi talked about the efforts and the facilities provided by the Southern Transitional Council to facilitate the government access and the exercise of its functions, including activating state institutions, providing public services, and the need to lift the economic and humanitarian situation as a top priority.

President Al-Zubaidi affirmed the Council's support for the efforts of the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General in all steps that would lead to the start of a comprehensive political process, noting that the Riyadh Agreement represents an important station on the way to laying the foundations for the political process and establishing peace in the South and Yemen, and until this is practically achieved it is necessary to form a joint negotiating delegation for the comprehensive political process, stressing that the participation of the Transitional Council in the peace process is essential and the Council cannot be bypassed in any case, and this participation must include the presence of the Council at all stages of the political process as a major party.

President Al-Zubaidi also referred to the Council's supportive stance for ceasefire, and the need for all parties to agree to it without conditions, in addition to the international community's need to provide to the Special Envoy a real mandate that reflects the reality of the parties on the ground, and the causes and roots of the conflict, and national issues, foremost of which is the issue of the people of the South that is represented by the Southern Transitional Council.

President Al-Zubaidi said that the military escalation of the Houthi militia will complicate the chances of a political solution and stability, and will multiply the difficult humanitarian crisis and the deteriorating economic situation, adding that the Houthi militia is taking a dangerous aggressive approach that requires confronting and deterring it, stressing that the council will defend the South from these threats and attacks and that it will not allow it to remain in Bihan districts.

For his part, the envoy of the Secretary-General, Mr. Hans Grundberg, stressed the need for the Transitional Council to participate in the comprehensive political process through the agreed arrangements, stressing the importance and speed of forming the joint negotiating delegation.

The meeting was attended by Major General Ahmed Saeed bin Brik, member of the Presidency of the Council, Chairman of the National Assembly, and Dr. Nasser Al-Khobaji, member of the Council Presidency, Head of the Negotiations Affairs Unit, and Dr. Suhair Ali Ahmed, member of the Presidency, Mr. Mohammad Al-Ghaithi, Head of the General Directorate of Foreign Affairs, and Mr. Imad Mohammad Ahmad, Deputy Office Director of the President of the Council.

The envoy of the Secretary-General was accompanied by Mr. Moin Shreim, Deputy Envoy, Mr. Peter Rice, official at the office of the UN envoy in the capital, Aden, and Kali Saleh, Sarah Sadiq, and Mohammad Abu Risha.