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Southern Transitional Council Celebrates the 8th Anniversary of the Historic Aden Declaration and the Council’s Founding

REPORTS - 10 hours ago

Aden | South Eye

Today, Sunday, the Southern Transitional Council organized a ceremonial event in the capital, Aden, in celebration of the eighth anniversary of the Historic Aden Declaration on May 4, 2017, and the founding of the Southern Transitional Council on May 11 of the same year.

The ceremony began with the Southern national anthem, followed by a recitation from the Holy Quran. Mr. Ali Abdullah Al-Kathiri, Acting President of the Council and President of the National Assembly, delivered a speech in which he conveyed greetings and congratulations from President Commander Aidarous Qassem Al-Zubaidi, President of the Southern Transitional Council, on this significant occasion, along with his best wishes for success and progress toward achieving the aspired goals.

During the event, which was attended by several members of the Council’s Presidency, ministers of the Council within the government, heads of supporting bodies, local authority leaders, and a number of military and security officials, Al-Kathiri stated that May 4, 2017, is an eternal historic day for the southern people. It marked the first signs of southerners rallying around a unified leadership and launching a new phase of liberation toward empowerment and the restoration of a fully sovereign independent state, God willing.

He continued, saying: “This occasion calls on us to remember the unified southern spirit that laid the foundation for the rise of this force that has carried the cause, safeguarding the achievements made.” He emphasized that today’s responsibilities are immense, the challenges are great, and the threats are even greater, requiring everyone to be at the highest levels of readiness.

Al-Kathiri addressed the current situation in the South, noting that the region is facing many attempts at invasion and internal destabilization. He reaffirmed that the Transitional Council and the southern military and security forces will not stand idly by in the face of such efforts aimed at undermining the gains achieved by the people and their just cause over recent years. He stressed that they remain committed to the promise and legacy for which martyrs and the wounded have sacrificed.

He firmly stated that the Southern Transitional Council and the southern military and security forces are red lines, and no one should be allowed to undermine or tamper with them. He added, “We may have differences and disagreements, but we must all rise to the level of the challenge and not allow any force to drag us back to the post-1994 era of division and fragmentation.”

Al-Kathiri pointed to the successes and achievements realized for the South since the Historic Aden Declaration and the popular mandate given to President Commander Aidarous Al-Zubaidi, which led to the founding of the Southern Transitional Council, the Southern National Dialogue, and the signing of the National Charter—all based on the principle that “the South is for all and by all its people.”

He concluded by emphasizing: “We must all strive for a free homeland that unites rather than divides, and for full partnership among the people of the South, from Al-Mahra in the east to Bab al-Mandab in the west.”

The event also featured a short documentary film showcasing the historical transformation in the South since the Aden Declaration, the long struggle of President Commander Aidarous Qassem Al-Zubaidi, his political and military journey, and the popular mandate given to him to establish a political entity under his leadership to manage and represent the South.