Rome (South24) 

Yemen’s Foreign Minister Shayea Al-Zindani called on the international community to support the Yemeni Coast Guard, while stressing on the importance of enhancing regional and international cooperation to ensure navigation security in the Red Sea amidst the Houthi attacks.

His statement came during participation today (November 26) in the 10th edition of the Rome Mediterranean Dialogues Forum, in Rome, Italy, during a session dedicated to Red Sea security and securing strategic points.

According to Yemeni news agency ’Saba‘, the minister stressed that the Houthi militia, supported by Iran, do not merely pose a threat to Yemen, but are also a direct threat to international security and peace, freedom of maritime navigation and global trade.

He pointed out that "the Houthis are exploiting the Red Sea passages to smuggle weapons. This requires collective international measures, including activating the inspection mechanism stipulated by Security Council resolutions."

Al-Zindani added that supporting the Yemeni government in enhancing its security capabilities, especially the coast guard, has become an urgent necessity to enable it to secure the sea passages and protect international trade.

He also called for providing economic and developmental support to Yemen, stressing that stability in his country is an investment in the security and stability of the entire region.

During a separate meeting with Italian Senate officials, Al-Zindani discussed the continued Houthi attacks on commercial ships, according to Saba.

In another development, a meeting was held in Aden today, which included Ali Al-Kathiri, the acting president of the Southern Transitional Council (STC), in the presence of representatives of labor unions, Southern military and security bodies, and several ministers.

According to a statement by the STC, the meeting discussed the deteriorating economic and living conditions, with a focus on finding urgent solutions to address the economic downturn and improve living conditions.

The meeting approved the formation of a follow-up committee that would include representatives of unions and military bodies to continue coordination with the government and the Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), with the aim of coming up with practical and sustainable solutions to deal with the economic crisis and ensuring stability.

The official Saba news agency said today that Yemeni Prime Minister Ahmed bin Mubarak departed from Aden for Saudi Arabia "to consult with the political leadership, allies and friends, regarding urgent economic support to overcome the existing challenges and changes in the national currency price."

Riyadh is witnessing extensive political and diplomatic activity regarding Yemen, led by the PLC Vice President and STC President, Aidrous Al-Zubaidi, who has met with ambassadors from several countries during the past few days in the Saudi capital.