President Al-Zubaidi Holds Expanded Meeting with Local, Military, Security, and Social Leaders in Abyan Governorate

SMA NEWS – ZINJIBAR
President Aidarous Qassem Al-Zubaidi, President of the Southern Transitional Council (STC) and Vice Chairman of the Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), held an expanded meeting on Thursday evening in the city of Zanjibar, the downtown of the governorate of Abyan, with local authority officials, military commanders and security officers, local leadership executive bodies (LLEBs) of the STC, and social personalities in the governorate.

President Al-Zubaidi delivered a speech, the full text of which is as follows:

In the Name of Allah, the most Gracious, the most Merciful

All praise is for Allah, Lord of the Worlds. May the praise of Allah and His peace be on Prophet Muhammad [PBUH], his family, and Companions.

Dear Governor of Abyan Governorate,

Dear brothers and sisters of the local authority and members of the LLEBs of the STC in Abyan Governorate,

All those present,

First of all, we would wholeheartedly like to express our happiness at visiting the resilient Abyan Governorate on this blessed evening, where we gather with this elite leadership from the governorate. Indeed, we are united by the values of cohesiveness, compassion, and solidarity brought by this holy month. We ask Allah, the Almighty, to accept our good deeds and yours, and may this meeting be a source of meaningful progress for this valiant governorate, which the wicked have sought to undermine and destroy. Yet, Abyan is the epitome of pride—the flank and vibrant heart of the South. It has always been, remains, and will forever stand as a beacon of resilience, confrontation, and defiance in the face of terrorism and those who affiliate, fund, or support it.

All respected attendees,

Tonight, we have come to visit Abyan, to sincerely and lovingly touch its pains, struggles, and hopes, and to closely examine the needs, concerns, and aspirations of its people. Abyan has endured much, and due to its esteemed position in the South, its pivotal role, and rich history, it has paid a heavy price. This will forever be etched and immortalized in the annals of our national liberation history.

Distinguished attendees,

As soon as Abyan is mentioned, the mind immediately turns to the war on terrorism, its heroics, and its ultimate sacrifices; however, Abyan is also a land of agriculture, industry, art, and culture. It is a legacy of political and military leadership. Therefore, the progress of Abyan requires dedicated efforts across all these aforementioned fields.

Dear sisters and brothers,

Out of the national responsibility entrusted to us, we previously assigned teams to pay visits to all the governorates of the South to assess the conditions and understand the concerns of our citizens amid these challenging circumstances. Today, we are here accompanied by representatives from the relevant executive authorities tasked with implementing solutions within the limits of available resources and insofar as conditions allow. Abyan will definitely remain a priority in the government’s programs aimed at normalizing public service and economic conditions, as well as advancing reconstruction efforts.

Distinguished attendees,

The promotion of Abyan and the restoration of its momentum, pioneering role, along with economic, cultural, and political standing, is a collective responsibility. This responsibility begins with activating service and revenue-generating institutions and encouraging the agricultural and fishing sectors. Abyan harbors within its essence the potential and capacities for its own development. What is required of us is to galvanize our resolve and proceed with unwavering dedication and a spirit of teamwork.

Distinguished attendees of the people of Abyan,

The strategic position Abyan holds, its geographic location on the map of the South, and the economic and human resources it possesses have made it a target for opposing forces. This began with the sending of terrorism to the governorate three decades ago and continues to this day. In confronting this scourge, Abyan has ultimately sacrificed trains of heroic martyrs, foremost among them the late valiant commander Abdul-Latif Al-Sayyid and many of his comrades and fellow heroes from our armed forces across all the governorates of the South. Today, it is our shared responsibility—armed forces, tribes, local authorities, and civil society organizations—to continue this decisive and relentless battle, in honor of Abyan and its displaced people. Targeting Abyan has always been, and remains, a targeting of the entire South. Therefore, eradicating the terrorism exported to this governorate is a national battle. Every victory achieved on its battlefronts, from Zinjibar to Ja’ar and extending to the central region with its mountains and valleys, is a victory for the global war on terrorism and a step toward securing peace and stability for the entire region.

Distinguished attendees,

Today, you are witnessing the hysterical state of the Houthi militias and their allied terrorist organizations, particularly after the U.S. administration designated these groups as terrorist organizations—a move we have long called for. With this designation, they now stand alongside their ally, al-Qaeda, as a recognized threat. These militias, built on destruction, chaos, and bloodshed, have once again begun mobilizing on different battlefronts along the borders of the South, under the illusion that the option of war might offer them a way out of the impasse they are living in. However, we reaffirm, here from Abyan, that this is not an escape but suicide, because the South, as it exists today, is not the same as it was years ago.

In the closing remarks,

I extend my best greetings once again to all who attended this blessed gathering.

All the best and peace, mercy, and the blessings of Allah be upon you.

Following this, the President, accompanied by the supervisory committee overseeing the STC’s Contact and Bolstering Political Awareness Teams, as well as the attending ministers, listened to a range of pressing issues and key challenges faced by the people of Abyan, along with proposed solutions to address and overcome these challenges. His Excellency emphasized that the Council’s leadership is dedicated to prioritizing these issues within government programs for development and reconstruction, aiming to improve the economic and living conditions of the governorate’s residents.