STC Presidium Commends HEFs' Sacrifices and Urges Residents to Actively Participate in 'Hadramout First' Event in Al-Mukalla

The Presidium of the Southern Transitional Council (STC) held its regular meeting today, Thursday, chaired by Mr. Ali Abdullah Al-Kathiri, Acting President of the STC and Chairman of the National Assembly, in the presence of heads of the auxiliary bodies.

The Presidium began its meeting by discussing the rapidly evolving political and security developments in Hadramout Governorate. In this regard, it commended the relentless efforts and immense sacrifices made by the Hadrami Elite Forces (HEFs) in maintaining security and stability, countering any attempts to disrupt public tranquility or spread chaos in the governorate, and safeguarding its hard-won achievements.

The Presidium warned against any attempts to incite chaos or fuel tensions in the governorate, emphasizing its categorical rejection of any moves aimed to target the HEFs, which represent the safety valve of Hadramout and one of its most significant national achievements in modern times.

The Presidium reaffirmed that the STC was the first to adopt the demands of the people of Hadramout in all its official documents and statements, as well as in the agreements reached during the Southern National Dialogue, with a focus on the historic Aden Declaration, the Southern National Charter, and the STC's vision for the federal state of the South, which guarantees all governorates the right to self-administration and the ability to benefit from their resources and wealth across all sectors and fields.

The Presidium reiterated its commitment to keeping the door widely open for dialogue with all national components of the South, based on the deeply rooted principle that "the South will only be for all, with all, and by all its people," asserting that such engagement serves the broader public interests of the South, preserves its social fabric, promotes stability, and fosters sustainable development across all governorates to ultimately achieve the aspirations of the people of the South.

In the same context, the Presidium reviewed ongoing preparations to commemorate the ninth anniversary of liberating Hadramout's Coast from the terrorist organization Al-Qaeda—an event set to take place in Al-Mukalla on April 24 themed "Hadramout First." The occasion was called for by the local leadership executive body of the STC in Hadhramaut.

The Presidium called on all the people of Hadramout to actively and broadly participate in this great national occasion, which highlights the heroic role of the HEFs and honors their immense sacrifices made to defeat terrorism and restore security, and also serves to renew public support for Hadramout's achievements and reject any attempts to undermine the role of the HEFs or diminish their accomplishments.

The STC Acting President and head of the Preparatory Committee for the South Arabia Senate Council (SASC), Mr. Ali Al-Kathiri, outlined the objectives and vision behind forming the SASC and emphasized that the decree by President Aidarous Al-Zubaidi, President of the STC, stems from the well-seated principles and vision of founding the STC as an inclusive body uniting national elites, including esteemed personalities and social figures across the South. Al-Kathiri noted that the move aims to uphold the values of reconciliation and tolerance while amplifying the role of major tribal personalities, sheikhs, sultans, and emirs in supporting national dialogue and solidifying the foundations of the state of the South.

Al-Kathiri clarified that the preparatory committee’s mandate—as clearly defined in President Al-Zubaidi’s decree—is strictly organizational in nature, which includes drafting the role of the SASC, its jurisdictions, and its working relationship with the various bodies of the STC, reaching the ultimate goal in the formal proclamation of the SASC, which will ensure fair and inclusive representation for all governorates of the South, tribes, and social components with due consideration afforded to their distinct characteristics.