Washington (South24 Center)

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In the first event of its kind, the American capital, Washington, witnessed a large gathering of the South Yemeni Diaspora at the U.S. Congress headquarters, with broad participation from community members, Southern youth and civil society leaders, from June 15-18, 2025.

The event was organized under the title "South Yemen Advocacy Day in Washington” aiming to raise awareness about the Southern cause and convey the community's voice to the American decision-makers. The event began on June 15 with the arrival of diaspora participants from various American states. The following day saw the holding of an intensive training program, including sessions on understanding the workings of the U.S. Congress and workshops simulating official meetings within the House of Representatives and Senate.

June 16 was dedicated to training on advocacy tools and skills for presenting the South issues to the American political environment.

The event also included a series of official meetings in the Congress. A delegation of the Southern community met with several members of the U.S. Congress, as well as officials from the US State Department and experts from research centers focused on the Middle East and Yemen, according to Samar Ahmed, the head of foreign affairs for the Southern Transitional Council (STC), in a statement to “South24 Center”.

Khoder Soliman, an official within the STC, stated that they held significant meetings with the teams of Senator Ted Cruz from the Republican Party and Senator Jacky Rosen from the Democratic Party. He described the meetings as a "critical milestone" in the advocacy efforts for South Yemen.

A delegation from the Southern community met with a US Congressional official, June 17, 2025 (via South24 Center)

Discussions covered diverse topics, foremost being the future of the peace process in Yemen and the United States role in supporting comprehensive solutions that address the aspirations of the Southern people. The discussions also included calls to reopen the American consulate in Aden, ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid to Southern regions, as well as on the US policy toward regional security threats such as the Houthis and Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP).

The holding of the event represents a qualitative shift in the outreach efforts by the Southern community in the United States, reflecting the diaspora’s shift toward organized and effective advocacy. The event also affirms the growing presence of the South Yemeni American community as an influential voice on issues of peace, democracy and stability in Yemen and the region.

On a related issue, the Southern Transitional Council had announced on May 3 the opening of its diplomatic mission in Washington as an official representative office, to strengthen the international presence of South Yemen as well as widen its communication with the United States.

The four-day event marks a significant milestone in South Yemeni advocacy efforts in the United States.