President Al-Alimi Warns Against Attempts to Circumvent Sovereign Decisions, Calls for Responsible Discourse

  Riyadh

President of the Presidential Leadership Council, His Excellency Dr. Rashad Mohammed Al-Alimi, affirmed that the recent sovereign decisions were a necessary and responsible option aimed at restoring the peace process and protecting civilians. He said the measures also sought to safeguard the state’s legal standing, prevent the country from sliding into a new cycle of violence, and thwart the imposition of faits accomplis by force of arms.

During a new meeting with the Advisory Body, held as part of his ongoing consultations with state authorities and decision-making and support bodies, President Al-Alimi explained that the decisions were not driven by a desire for escalation or retaliation. He said they instead constituted a legal and moral response to the state’s duty to protect its citizens and preserve its legal standing. This followed deliberate obstruction of consensus-based tracks and deviation from the transitional phase references, foremost among them the Declaration of the Transfer of Power and the Riyadh Agreement.

At the outset of the meeting, the President congratulated the Yemeni people at home and abroad on the advent of the New Year. He prayed that it would be a year of victory, peace, security, and stability, an end to citizens’ suffering, and the fulfillment of their aspirations for a just state that upholds dignity, safeguards rights, and opens genuine horizons for recovery and development.

President Al-Alimi briefed the Advisory Body on recent developments, noting that repeated grace periods granted to normalize the situation in the eastern governorates had not been utilized prudently by the Southern Transitional Council. Instead, these periods were accompanied by the deployment of additional forces to Hadhramaut and Al-Mahrah governorates, and the arrival of military shipments from external sources, which compelled the state— in coordination with the brothers in the Leadership of the Coalition to Support Legitimacy— to take firm measures to prevent the crisis from turning into an uncontainable reality.

The President commended the efforts of local authorities in the eastern governorates and their prompt response to the presidential decisions by securing sovereign facilities and vital infrastructure, and ensuring the continuity of public services. He warned against any attempts to circumvent the decisions or undermine their implementation on the ground.

He stressed the importance of the role the Advisory Body can play at this critical moment as an advanced think tank to support and rationalize national decision-making. He said it could also help mobilize all energies in support of efforts to restore state institutions and dry up sources of support for any formations operating outside the legal framework of the state.

President Al-Alimi reiterated the justness of the Southern cause and the collective commitment to addressing it in accordance with the highest human rights standards. He stressed that this should be done away from the logic of force and coercion, or its exploitation in armed conflicts that undermine its legitimacy and harm its future.

He also renewed his deep appreciation for the fraternal role played by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as a strategic partner, embodied by the realities of geography, shared destiny, and common security interests. He emphasized that safeguarding this partnership is a national responsibility, fully aware of its historical and future gains and the risks of compromising it.

The President clarified that the decision to end the Emirati military presence came within the framework of correcting the course of the Coalition and in coordination with its joint leadership, in a manner that ensures the cessation of any support for components operating outside the authority of the state. He stressed that this does not imply severing ties, disregarding bilateral relations, or denying the legacy of cooperation based on shared interests between the two brotherly countries.

President Al-Alimi affirmed that the overarching objective of any sovereign measure or decision at this stage will remain focused on serving the battle to restore state institutions, whether by peaceful means or through war. He added that these efforts aim to realize Yemenis’ aspirations for security, stability, and development.

He called on all political components and media platforms to avoid abusive and inciting rhetoric and to prioritize the language of the state and responsibility. He said this approach would strengthen national unity, preserve the dignity of Yemenis, and safeguard prospects for peace, without compromising the principle of accountability and the rule of law.

The meeting was attended by Dr. Yahya Al-Shuaibi, the Director of the Office of the Presidency of the Republic.