Boosting the role of the Southern communities abroad requires formulating plans and strategies, foremost of which is rehabilitation and integration.

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Reem Al-Fadhli (South24)

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Since a long time ago, South Yemen has witnessed successive immigration waves because of political events and economic challenges, experienced by the rural and urban areas alike. Over the past decades, several factors, and circumstances, including economic and political ones, have pushed many Southerners toward migrating to different countries across the world, especially the United Kingdom, the United States, the Gulf countries, and Europe. 

After the 1990 unity and the 1994 war that led to its collapse, the diaspora followed up on the establishment of the Southern movement（Hirak) in 2007. This is an aspect in which the Southern communities abroad have played a main and decisive role to keep the flame of the Southern internal struggle alive till now.

In this report, officials of the Southern communities abroad told ’South24 Center‘ about the role of these communities, the challenges facing them, and the recommendations aimed at enhancing their presence, uniting their efforts, and deepening their links with the home country. 

Immigration and Expatriation

The Southern communities abroad were formed as a result of several waves of immigration and expatriation. Documents in the British Archives indicate that the first waves of regular immigration from South Yemen started in the early 19th century, according to Adani historian Belal Gholam. 

Gholam told ’South24 Center‘ that “several Southerners moved to Britain in the 1950s to work in steel factories. With the escalation of the revolution momentum in the 1960s, many Southerners migrated in fear of the repercussions of independence. Later, the laws of nationality and imposed travel restrictions, pushed some Southerners toward illegal immigration.”

According to him “the 1980s witnessed mobility facilities in a way that increased the pace of immigration to Saudi Arabia and the United States, especially by the people of Yafa in Lahj. With the Yemeni unity in the 1990s, the pace of immigration to the Gulf states increased, while it remained limited toward Europe due to visa difficulties."

He added that the biggest percentage of Southern expatriates is based in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states. In Europe and the West, the UK has the largest number of Southerners, followed by the US, and then by other Western states with varying percentages. 

Numbers

There are no accurate official statistics showing the number of Southern communities around the world. However, the spokesman for the Southern community in Saudi Arabia, Eng. Amin Al-Shoeibi, said there are an estimated nearly one million Southern expatriates in Saudi Arabia alone, including more than 150,000 who haven't returned to South Yemen for decades. 

Al-Shoeibi told ’South24 Center‘ that some of them have obtained Saudi citizenship while others have settled there as foreign workers and residents. He pointed out that after 2007, the ’Southern Immigrants Council in the Gulf States‘ was privately established before merging with the Southern Community in Saudi Arabia, led by Sheikh Abbas Sneig Al-Shaeri. 

The number of the Southern community in other Gulf states stands at about 500,000 persons, most of whom are based in the UAE and Oman, according to Al-Shoebi. He added: "Expatriates from the governorates of Lahj and Al-Mahrah constitute the biggest percentage of Southerners in these countries, unlike Saudi Arabia which hosts a large number of Hadramis along with expatriates from different Southern governorates.”

Head of the ’Coordination Council for the Southern Communities‘, Dr. Hussein Al-Saqaaf, said that the Southern communities in Europe “are relatively new compared to other Arab and foreign communities. Most of them include refugees who fled to Europe to escape the war and oppression witnessed by South Yemen in different phases, especially in the aftermath of the Yemeni unity”.

He told ’South24 Center‘: “The Netherlands alone has hosted the biggest share of Southern refugees in the latest years as nearly half of those who fled to Europe in 2024 chose to submit refugee requests to this country.”

Al-Saqaaf pointed out that the number of Southerners in Europe is about 15,000.

The Activities of the Southern Communities

The Southern communities abroad have played important political and social roles in different stages, including supporting the peaceful Southern Hirak movement along with initiatives like arranging for food, construction, and charity. These roles have mitigated the state of poverty and suffering of people in the South over the past decades.

Eng. Al-Shoeibi explains some of the roles played by the Southern community in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states. This includes contributing to supporting the South issue through the involvement of some of the community members in Southern political movements as part of the peaceful Hirak such as the ’Southern Democratic Assembly‘ and the ’Self-Determination Movement‘. 

He added: “Amid the cruelty and censorship of the Yemeni regime, we have served as the voice of our vigilant and fearless people. We published newspapers and established forums and websites, secretly and publicly, to keep the Southern voice resounding.” He pointed to the important role of the Southern communities in supporting the principle of Southern reconciliation and forgiveness, in addition to establishing associations for retirees and laid-off workers in South Yemen.

According to Al-Shoeibi, during the second invasion of the South after 1994, the Southern community played a prominent role in supporting the fighting fronts with money and weapons. Moreover, the response of the Southern communities to the call of their home country led to the establishment of fighting battalions from among the Southerners in the Gulf states and their taking part in the battles for freeing Aden and other areas.

In the United States, where one of the most important Southern communities is based, the efforts exerted have been characterized by their strong influence and the advantage of capabilities.

Al-Khedr Al-Sulaimani, Coordinator of the Southern Communities in the United States and the Head of the New York-based Yafa People Association, told ’South24 Center‘ that the community there has played a pivotal role in backing the Southern Hirak since it was launched through organizing social events to collect donations to support the civil disobedience in the South. Moreover, the community has also organized demonstrations in New York and in front of the White House.

“The Southern community in the United States has contributed to raising awareness of the Southern issue among Arab and Islamic societies in this country,” he said.

The Southern community in the United States made a notable presence by receiving the Southern political leaders who visited the country on work missions. Celebrating the US visit of Southern Transitional Council (STC) President Aidrous Al-Zubaidi in September-October 2024, the Southern community members in several US states demonstrated the scale of support and loyalty that these diaspora members have toward the cause of their home country. 

Al-Sulaimani described receiving Al-Zubaidi and other Southern officials such as the STC Vice President, Faraj Al-Bahsani, as conveying the message of Southern solidarity and alignment from inside to outside.

Al-Shoebi stressed that such initiatives aren’t new, adding that the Southern communities have taken the lead in hosting the Southern leaders in several cities such as Riyadh and Jeddah since 2015.

Dr. Hussein Al-Saqaaf pointed to the noteworthy role played by the Southern communities in Europe to raise awareness of the Southern issue by making use of their contacts with human rights and governmental organizations. They also showcased their ability to reach the European media platforms to highlight the suffering of the Southern people.

Presence in Diaspora Countries

The Southern diaspora communities have been characterized by their great ability to integrate with their countries of residence, along with maintaining strong ties with their home country, especially South Yemen. These characteristics, which are part of the culture of peaceful coexistence of the Southerners, have enabled many of the diaspora members to reach prestigious positions abroad. However, this is still below the required level, according to Al-Sulaimani.

He noted that despite the efforts exerted, the Southern representation in the US’ policy is still limited in comparison to that of the communities from North Yemen and other Arab communities. 

However, in the Gulf states the Southern communities are among the list of the most prominent businessmen and trade figures, especially in Saudi Arabia. Even those who have been resettled and naturalized still maintain strong ties with their native country. This is in addition to the major cultural and artistic influence of the Southerners in the Gulf states. The late Hadrami Saudi singer Abu Bakr Salem is considered a prominent example of this.

Recommendations

In light of the current circumstances, boosting the role of the Southern communities abroad requires formulating plans and strategies, foremost of which is rehabilitation and integration, according to Amin Al-Shoeibi.

He added: "Youth should be engaged in the political and social activities, in addition to providing training programs that qualify them to understand the political systems in their countries of residence in order to bolster their presence.”

Al-Khedr Sulaimani pointed to the importance of establishing civil society organizations to help empower the Southern communities abroad. This is along with focusing on organizing workshops to maintain the Southern identity and secure the engagement of youth and women. He underscored the need for enhancing integration in the host countries through effective participation in the democratic institutions, in addition to organizing periodic conferences to coordinate the efforts among the Southern communities in different countries.

Al-Saqaaf called for boosting the presence of the Southern community in Europe through encouraging young people to get involved in politics and media as well as cooperating with human rights and civil organizations to support the Southern issue internationally. He urged for providing training programs to prepare the youth to understand the European political systems and enhance their influential involvement.