Aden (South24)

Today, the General Federation of Southern Workers' Unions organized a massive protest in Khormaksar district in the Yemeni capital Aden to denounce the dire economic situation, the crisis in services and the plummeting local currency, besides skyrocketing food prices.

Hundreds of workers from various sectors, especially employees in the education sector, gathered at the parade square in Khormaksar to participate in the protest. Participants raised banners calling for improvement of the economic and service conditions and combating corruption.

#BREAKING

Protests in Al-Aroud Square in #Aden against the deterioration of living and service conditions#south24 pic.twitter.com/ARGsqGyEB7

— South24 | English (@South24E) February 24, 2025

The demands also included restoring the real value of public sector employees' salaries, which has decreased by more than 800% over the past decade as a result of the Yemeni rial losing its value against foreign currencies.

The protesters also demanded resumption of operations at the Aden refineries to supply power stations with fuel and thus end the fuel crisis that has caused power outages for consecutive days since the beginning of 2025.

Following the protest, the President of the Southern Transitional Council (STC) and member of the Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), Aidrous Al-Zubaidi, met with officials of the workers unions at the STC headquarters in Aden.

According to a STC press release, Al-Zubaidi pledged to the labor unions to exert maximum efforts within the PLC and the government to achieve the just demands of the people and workers. He acknowledged that the economic situation is unacceptable.

On February 22, Al-Zubaidi arrived in Aden from the UAE. The following day, he met with senior STC officials, the governor of Aden, and ministers to discuss the electricity crisis and other issues.