STC's Foreign Affairs Discusses Political Process Fate with International IDEA

Mr. Anis Al-Sharafi, the deputy director of the General Directorate of Foreign Affairs (GDFA) of the Southern Transitional Council (STC), met today, Wednesday, in the capital, Aden, with the Director of Programs in Africa and West Asia at the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA), Mr. Zaid Al-Ali, and the project coordinator in Yemen, Mr. Shaker Badr.

The meeting discussed a range of important topics, most notably the fate of the political process sponsored by the UN and the dire economic and humanitarian conditions experienced by the governorates of the South, in addition to ways to expand fields of cooperation and coordination between the STC and IDEA.

Mr. Al-Sharafi touched on the difficult humanitarian conditions in the South, which have become more urgent as a result of the prolonged war and the disruption of the political process, pointing out that no seriousness has been revealed from the Houthi militia to reach a peace deal to end the war.

Al-Sharafi reiterated the necessity of reaching the ceasefire deal and developing a special negotiating framework for the cause of the people of the South during the negotiations of the comprehensive political process, warning against trying what has been overtaken by events on the ground and ignoring the aspirations of the people of the South to restore their state, which will only lead to future conflict-prone regions.

In turn, Mr. Al-Ali affirmed that the institute is exerting efforts as per its field of expertise to support the transfer of knowledge by organizing workshops and training courses and submitting relevant proposals and recommendations.