Yemen: Internationalizing the Transitional Council's violations and their impact on peace
In an escalation aimed at ending ongoing abuses, the internationally recognized Yemeni government has moved to highlight the practices of the Southern Transitional Council, placing the issue of violations under international scrutiny. This move comes at a sensitive time for the country, as international and regional actors seek to advance peace efforts and end the years-long conflict.
The context of the conflict and the stalled Riyadh Agreement
This escalation by the government cannot be understood in isolation from the historical and political background of the strained relationship between the legitimate government and the Southern Transitional Council. Since the events of August 2019, which saw Transitional Council forces seize control of the interim capital, Aden, relations between the two sides have entered a dark period. Despite the signing of the Riyadh Agreement in November of the same year, under the auspices of Saudi Arabia, which aimed to unify ranks and integrate military and security formations under the umbrella of the Ministries of Defense and Interior, the actual implementation of the agreement's provisions, particularly the military and security aspects, continues to face significant obstacles.
Government reports indicate that the Transitional Council’s continued exercise of de facto powers and interference in the work of state institutions hinders the government’s ability to perform its duties in the liberated areas, exacerbating the suffering of citizens and weakening the legitimacy position before the international community.
The repercussions of the violations on the Yemeni scene
These developments are of paramount importance due to their direct impact on local and regional stability. Locally, these violations and the duplication of security decision-making lead to a state of lawlessness, a deterioration of public services, and a decline in the value of the national currency, thus exacerbating the humanitarian burden on Yemeni citizens.
Regionally and internationally, the continued tension among the components of the Presidential Leadership Council, formed in April 2022 to unify the anti-Houthi front, threatens to undermine the efforts of the UN envoy to Yemen. Observers believe that the international community, particularly the Security Council and its five permanent members, is watching these developments with concern, as any fracturing within the legitimate government's camp directly benefits the Houthi group and prolongs the war.
The international situation and the future of peace
By internationalizing this issue, the government seeks to pressure the Southern Transitional Council to adhere to the agreed-upon terms of reference and to cease unilateral actions that undermine state institutions. Statements issued by the UN Security Council repeatedly emphasize the need to preserve Yemen's unity, sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity, principles upon which the government bases its recent diplomatic efforts to curb any projects that could lead to the country's fragmentation.
