Mukalla (South24)

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Today, the 6th session of the Southern National Assembly of the Southern Transitional Council (STC) was held in Mukalla, Hadramout governorate.

The first day of the session was inaugurated following an artistic ceremony. Hadrami poets delivered poems in support of the independence of South Yemen.

STC President and Presidential Leadership Council member, Major General Aidrous Al-Zubaidi, spoke about the importance of holding this session.

Al-Zubaidi said that this session "is of exceptional importance as it coincides with the 6ht anniversary of the establishment of the STC".

"We hope that this session will be a point of honest evaluation and review of the National Assembly's performance as a legislative institution for the STC," he added.

Al-Zubaidi stressed the outcomes of the Southern Consultative Meeting that took place between 4-9 May in the capital city Aden, and the Southern National Pact.

He said, "We affirm that the aspired state of South is a federal, civil, democratic, Arab, Islamic, independent and sovereign state."

Al-Zubaidi addressed the Hadrami parties, stressing that "the next federal state will preserve Hadramout's position as a strategic and cultural depth in South."

Al-Zubaidi renewed the STC's support for peace efforts in Yemen and efforts for a political solution.

He said, "We are following with great interest all the efforts made by the United Nations bodies and other countries to end the war and achieve peace."

He added, "While we affirm our full support for these endeavors [...] we remind at the same time that these efforts will remain mere attempts, unless they prioritize addressing the central issues, and at the forefront of that is addressing South Issue".

Al-Zubaidi stressed that restoring the state of South Yemen according to the pre-1990 borders is the solution that meets the aspirations of the people of South.

Yesterday, Al-Zubaidi had met with tribal sheikhs in Hadramout governorate and called for an end to the exploitation of the oil wealth in the governorate.

The Southern National Assembly session in Hadramout comes after a historic consultative meeting between the Southern political parties in Aden.

It also comes after a process of political restructuring of the STC, which included prominent Southern figures, including senior officials from the governorates of Hadramout and Al-Mahra.

Al-Zubaidi appointed Major General Faraj Al-Bahsani, who is similarly a PLC member, as his deputy, in addition to Major General Ahmed Saeed Bin Break.

 

During the past years, the National Assembly held 5 sessions, all of which were in the capital city Aden, except for the second session, which was held in Mukalla, Hadramout, in February 2019.

The National Assembly is currently chaired by Major General Ahmed Saeed bin Break, in addition to his duties as Vice Chairman of the STC.

In televised remarks on Thursday, Ahmed Bin Break said that the 6th session of the National Assembly "will determine the roadmap for the future of South."

In a related context, local sources said that Hadrami figures headed. on Saturday, to Riyadh on a private Saudi plane.

Those Hadrami figures are expected to meet Saudi officials, according to the sources.