Aden (South24)

The Southern Transitional Council (STC) announced that they had held an impromptu meeting in Aden today, headed by its president Major General Aidrous Al-Zubaidi.

The meeting was attended by the STC Presidium, General Secretariat departments, and the heads of the auxiliary bodies and National Assembly.

Al-Zubaidi briefed the attendees on the latest developments in the political process, as well as regional and international efforts to end the war and bring lasting peace to Yemen, according to the STC's official website.

The STC President said during the meeting that “the upcoming stage will only be a political one, and we will go through it with all potential to reaffirm the presence of our people’s cause and to preserve the achievements that have been fulfilled due to the huge ultimate sacrifices that have been made by our people over nearly 3 decades of unrelenting struggle.”

He stressed the STC’s understanding of the suffering of the South population due to harsh economic and living conditions, vowing that they would alleviate it. 

Al-Zubaidi, who is also a member of the Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), acknowledged the burdens borne by the STC as a result of joining the government and the PLC, declaring that this step was necessary for strengthening the presence of South Issue. “The region and the world have become fully convinced of the cause of South and the necessity of a just solution in a way that meets the aspirations of its people”, he added.

He also outlined the outcomes of the diplomatic meetings recently held with international ambassadors and envoys of the UN and USA.

At the end of the meeting, the Southern leader asked the various bodies and departments of the STC to direct their efforts toward keeping pace with the next stage and improving their performance. The meeting also discussed the final measures to be taken in restructuring the organizational composition of the STC. 

In May of this year, Al-Zubaidi established a reformed presidential body for the STC, appointing 22 Presidency members and three deputies for himself.

Related: Restructuring the STC: Timing and Necessity 

The new formation included two PLC members, namely: the commander of the Southern Giants Brigades, Brigadier General Abdulrahman Al-Mahrami; and Major General Faraj Al-Bahsani, the former governor of Hadramaut.

The restructuring came following a historic consultative meeting between the Southern political components in Aden, which resulted in the absorption of several parties into the STC.

Related: The Largest Consultative Meeting for the Southern Parties Since 1990