Resolutions and Recommendations of First Session of the STC National Assembly 2024

The National Assembly of the Southern Transitional Council (STC) held its first session today, Wednesday, in the capital, Aden, under the slogan of enhancing and developing the political and institutional performance of the STC, which was inaugurated by President Aidarous bin Qassem Al-Zubaidi, President of the STC, in the presence of the Chairman and members of the National Assembly from various governorates of the South. Therefore, the press release, resolutions, and recommendations issued by the first session are as follows:

The first session of the National Assembly of the STC was held on the third of January 2024, as an extension of the meeting of the House of Commons that was held on the second of January 2024, in the capital, Aden, as one of the two advisory chambers of the House of Commons, which was established as per Presidential decree No. (48) of the year 2023, issued by President Aidarous Qassem Al-Zubaidi, President of the STC, regarding the call for its convening, in the presence of the full members of its bodies, which was held under the slogan (Strengthening Political Performance and Institutional Work Towards Restoring and Building the Independent Federal State of the South).

The procedures of the first session of the National Assembly were chaired by Mr. Ali Abdullah Al-Kathiri, the chairman of the assembly, in the presence of his deputy, Mr. Essam Abdo Ali, and its (371) members, who represent segments and categories of community in all governorates of the South.

After a recitation of verses from the Holy Quran in opening the sessions of the assembly, the Chairman of the Assembly delivered a speech, which he began by welcoming the new members to the body of the Assembly and the members in whom trust was renewed to continue national work in the assembly, pointing to the importance of holding this session, as it comes after the great historic event in the course of the political work of the STC and the arrangement of its organizational conditions, which is represented by the process of administrative and organizational restructuring in the bodies of the Council, which culminated in the establishment of the House of Commons, as the highest legislative and evaluative body in the Council, which includes the two chambers, the Council of Advisors and the National Assembly.

Mr. Ali Al-Kathiri added that the Assembly since its establishment in 2017 has achieved a lot for the institutional framework of the STC, and we are following what the members of the Assembly have fulfilled in past years, led by Major General Ahmed Saeed bin Brik.

Al-Kathiri also highlighted the prominent role that the members of the Assembly will perform among the community to confront the current challenges and threats that the South is going through, stressing the advancement of society's work in the upcoming phase, which requires more care and making efforts in the field of monitoring and evaluation of the work and activity of the state institutions and bodies of the STC and the fight against corruption, pointing to the support of local authorities and contributing to easing the difficulties that citizens face in their lives, and wishing, at the end of his speech, success and prosperity for all.

Resolutions and recommendations:

1) The National Assembly approved the main orientations of the work of the Assembly and recommended that the administrative body undertake the completion of the plan for the year 2024.

2) The National Assembly approved the internal regulations of the Assembly and recommended that they be reformulated, in accordance with the comments received, and referred to the Legal Committee for approval.

3) The National Assembly recommends to the Presidency of the STC that it take into account specializations, competence, experience, and struggle balance when issuing decrees regarding the various frameworks of the council, including the heads and deputies of the permanent committees in the Assembly.

4) The National Assembly affirms the option of the people of the South to achieve their freedom and independence and not to give up their desired goal of restoring their southern state with its pre-1990 sovereign borders, which is the goal for which they have been sacrificing their lives with thousands of martyrs and wounded.

5) The National Assembly appreciates the support of the official brothers in the Arab coalition for our people, their southern resistance, and their armed forces in the face of the hordes of Houthi invaders.

6) The National Assembly appreciates the honorable struggling role of President Aidarous Qassem Al-Zubaidi, President of the STC and Supreme Commander of the Southern Armed Forces, in the political process his excellency is conducting with regional, Arab, and international organizations to achieve the restoration of the state of the South as a fundamental condition for establishing peace in Yemen, the entire region, and the world.

7) The National Assembly emphasizes the unity of the South, its identity as an inseparable homeland and people, and protecting its identity.

8) The National Assembly affirms its commitment to the contents of the Southern National Charter and is working to achieve the foundations, principles, and orientations it contained to strengthen the southern national alignment, based on the principle of the South for and by all its people.

9) The National Assembly confirms its support for all regional and international peace efforts and paths, highlighting the priority of establishing a special negotiating framework for the cause of the people of the South in the negotiations of the political process to ensure the achievement of the desired peace.

10) The National Assembly salutes the courage and valor of our southern armed forces in defending the entirety of the South, security, and stability, and affirms that the southern armed forces will remain the impenetrable fence to protect the South and its people, secure its national gains, and combat terrorism and extremism.

11) The National Assembly recommends that the leadership of the STC pay great attention and care to the members of our southern armed forces, secure their living conditions, and accelerate the process of restructuring the military and security forces and units, according to the foundations that embody the spirit of national belonging and in furtherance of the national military doctrine.

12) The National Assembly appreciates the great national role of the previous Southern Dialogue Team and recommends that the new Dialogue Team continue the path and move forward towards achieving great successes in enhancing the culture of dialogue and aligning southerners to achieve the aspired goal of restoring the state of the South.

13) The National Assembly calls for an immediate cessation of the Israeli aggression against the residents of Gaza and the genocidal war against Palestinian civilians and emphasizes the speedy resolution of the Palestinian issue in a just manner, based on the resolutions of the League of Arab States and the United Nations, in a way that guarantees peace and stability for the Palestinian Arab people.

Issued by the first session of the National Assembly of the STC

Wednesday, January 3, 2004