The UAE publicly welcomed Saudi efforts to stabilise Yemen and said it remains committed to backing measures that reduce tensions. A joint Saudi-Emirati delegation arrived in Aden on December 12 to press the Southern Transitional Council (STC) to withdraw from Hadramout and Al-Mahra after the STC seized key positions in the south. The STC’s advance risks splitting the fragile coalition fighting Iran-backed Houthi rebels and could further complicate an already protracted conflict.
UAE Backs Saudi Push To Stabilise Yemen as Southern Separatists Advance
Fighters with Yemen's Southern Transitional Council (STC) drive a vehicle past a separatist flag (the old flag of South Yemen) in the southern city of Aden [File: Saleh Al-Obeidi/AFP]
The United Arab Emirates has welcomed Saudi Arabia’s efforts to restore security and stability in Yemen and reiterated its commitment to supporting measures that prevent further escalation, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
What Happened
The Emirati statement followed comments from Saudi authorities urging the Southern Transitional Council (STC) — Yemen’s main southern separatist group — to halt its recent advance and withdraw forces from the eastern provinces of Hadramout and Al-Mahra. The STC, which previously received military and financial backing from the UAE, pushed the Saudi-backed, internationally recognised government out of its headquarters in Aden earlier this month and has claimed wide control across southern Yemen.
Diplomatic And Military Steps
On December 12, a joint Saudi-Emirati military delegation arrived in Aden to discuss measures aimed at defusing tensions and arranging the redeployment of STC forces to positions outside the two eastern provinces. Saudi officials said the teams were taking "the necessary arrangements" to secure a pullback, and those efforts remain under way.
"The UAE reaffirmed its steadfast commitment to supporting all endeavours aimed at strengthening stability and development in Yemen," the Emirati Foreign Ministry said.
Wider Implications
The STC’s advance threatens to fracture the fragile coalition that has been fighting the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in northern Yemen since 2015. The separatists were initially part of the anti-Houthi alliance that intervened in 2015 but later turned on the internationally recognised government while pressing for greater autonomy or self-rule in the south.
Yemen has suffered a protracted civil war since 2014. The Houthis control much of northern Yemen, including the capital Sanaa, after forcing the government to relocate south. Yemen’s strategic position between Saudi Arabia and a vital Red Sea shipping lane has heightened regional concern about renewed instability.
Outlook: Diplomatic and military mediation by Saudi Arabia and the UAE seeks to prevent open conflict between allies in the anti-Houthi coalition, but the situation remains tense and fluid.
