President Aidarous Qassem Al-Zubaidi, President of the Southern Transitional Council (STC) and Vice-Chairman of the Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), received on Monday H.E. Steven H. Fagin, Ambassador of the United States of America to Yemen.
The meeting discussed the latest political and military developments in the country in light of the new Houthi escalation on all fronts, as President Al-Zubaidi renewed his call to the regional and international community to take a decisive position on the continued mobilization of the Houthi militias, stressing the importance of supporting the PLC to assume its responsibilities in securing the country and protecting the liberated areas from the frequent attacks of the Houthi militia, which rejects all endeavors to end the war and establish peace.
The meeting touched on the economic conditions in the liberated governorates in light of the sharp collapse in the local currency exchange rate due to the continued suspension of oil exports following the Houthi attacks on oil facilities in Shabwah and Hadramaut. In this regard, President Al-Zubaidi reaffirmed that the government has become unable to properly assume its responsibilities and the entrusted tasks to revive the economic situation and provide public services to citizens, calling on the official brothers in the Arab coalition countries and the international community to provide urgent support to prevent further collapse and restore the humanitarian situation throughout the country.
Furthermore, the meeting reviewed the efforts exerted by the security services and military forces in the field of combating terrorist groups, arms smuggling networks of Houthi militias, efforts to secure international shipping lines in the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandab Strait, and the Gulf of Aden, and possible ways to enhance their role in this aspect.
For his part, the US ambassador reiterated the position of his government in supporting the cohesiveness and rapprochement of the PLC and harmony among its members and the endeavors of the UN Special Envoy aimed at reaching a just and sustainable peace that achieves security and stability in the region, stressing his government’s keenness to continue humanitarian aid, enhance security support, and develop the capabilities of the counter-terrorism forces, border guards, and coast guards.
The meeting was attended by Mr. Mohammed Al-Ghaithi, chairman of the Consultation and Reconciliation Commission of the PLC, a member of the STC’s Presidium, and Mr. Imad Mohammed, office director of the Vice-Chairman of the PLC.
