The Presidium of the Southern Transitional Council (STC) held its regular meeting today, Thursday, chaired by Mr. Ali Abdullah Al-Kathiri, Acting President of the STC and Chairman of the National Assembly, in the presence of the STC's ministers in the government and heads of the auxiliary bodies.

In the beginning of its meeting, the Presidium commended the address delivered yesterday by President Al-Zubaidi, President of the STC in the UN Security Council, in a high-level open debate. The remarks clearly articulated the aspirations of the people of the South and their legitimate right to self-determination and highlighted the magnitude of the challenges facing the people of the South, the region, and the world in light of the current circumstances.

The Presidium highlighted that the address came at a critical juncture, placing the international community squarely in the spotlight regarding its responsibilities towards ongoing developments of what is happening in the South, Yemen, and the region in general, pointing out that President Al-Zubaidi presented a comprehensive vision for achieving peace and stability in the region, grounded in principles of justice and meaningful participation of the South in any coming political settlement.

As the Presidium commended the series of important meetings held by President Al-Zubaidi and the accompanying delegation, with heads of delegations from brotherly and friendly countries, as well as regional and international actors, on the sidelines of his participation in the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly, stressing the importance of continuing such engagements, as they provide a valuable opportunity to strengthen the STC's relations, presence, and influence in international politics.

In a separate context, the Presidium continued to stand firm against the escalating provocations of the Houthi terrorist militia in the north of the governorates of Lahj and Al-Dhale'a, as well as their continued targeting of maritime shipping lanes, underscoring the imperative for the international community to fully grasp the Houthi strategy in utilizing war and the targeting of shipping lanes as a means to achieve their goals, impose their terms, and force his own interests, and persistently resorted to these tactics over and over again.

In its meeting, the Presidium reaffirmed its commendation of the steadfastness and sacrifices of the Southern Armed Forces' heroes on various fronts and expressed its deep appreciation for their heroic role in defending the Southern homeland, protecting its borders, and preserving its security and stability, reiterating its firm pledge to safeguard the national gains achieved through such ultimate sacrifices and to pursue the struggle until fulfilling the supreme goal of restoring a fully sovereign state of the South.

The Presidium listened to a report on the Transparency and Anti-Corruption Union's progress, presented by Mr. Fadi Ba'oum, member of the STC's Presidium, and a report submitted by the Economic and Services Auxiliary Authority, presented by Dr. Jaafar Monai'em on the implications of rescinding economic and banking decisions. Furthermore, the Presidium touched on a range of organizational topics and issues related to the work of its various bodies and took the appropriate measures.