Al-Hajj Discusses with International IDEA Experience of Southern National Dialogue

SMA NEWS – ADEN THE CAPITAL
Dr. Saleh Mohsen Al-Hajj, Director of the General Directorate of Foreign Affairs (GDFA) of the Southern Transitional Council (STC), met today, Sunday, in the capital, Aden, with the Director of Programs in Africa and West Asia at the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA), Mr. Zaid Al-Ali, and the project coordinator in Yemen, Mr. Shaker Badr.

During the meeting, which discussed the experience of the Southern National Dialogue, Dr. Al-Hajj praised the constructive efforts undertaken by the International IDEA in promoting the principles of democracy, freedom, and peace, expressing the STC’s readiness to expand relations and cooperation with the International IDEA.

Mr. Al-Hajj touched on the phase and outcomes of the Southern National Dialogue and indicated that the STC entered the dialogue fully open minded and ready to accept all ideas and views and was able to remove doubts and build confidence, pointing out that all participants have not diversified on the failure of unity with the North and the necessity to restore the federal state of the South, and there is even an agreement between all components and forces of the people of the South to restore and build the independent federal state of the South.

Al-Hajj added that the unification was a miscalculation on the part of the southerners, and a heavy toll was paid. Therefore, the cause of our people should be understood, as we are not the only ones who signed a failed unity.

Al-Hajj affirmed that the people of the South, with their different backgrounds and orientations, are uncompromisingly striving to restore and build their democratic federal state of the South, a state of law, order, and justice based on true partnership, tolerance, and rejection of violence and extremism, and this was agreed upon and signed in the Southern National Charter.

For his part, Mr. Al-Ali gave an explanation of the work and programs of the International IDEA and the response to national initiatives to strengthen the actors that build and protect democracy, expressing their readiness to assist in the course of the political process and provide relevant suggestions and recommendations.

The meeting was attended by Mr. Anis Al-Sharafi, Deputy Director of GDFA, Mr. Fahim Saif, Office Head of the Director of GDFA, and Mr. Raafat Al-Alawi, Head of the International Organizations Section at GDFA.