Sana’a to Aden: “No Oil Exports”
NYN | Reports and analyses:
As the agreement to end economic escalation, signed between Sana’a and Riyadh, came into effect with the resumption of commercial flights from Sana’a airport to Jordan and the reinstatement of the SWIFT system for private banks in Sana’a, the government loyal to the Saudi-UAE coalition began arrangements for exporting Yemeni crude oil to international markets. This is an attempt to break the oil export ban imposed by the “Ansar Allah” movement since late 2022.
A source in the “Supreme Economic Committee” in Sana’a described these arrangements as “an uncalculated provocation,” stating to “Al-Akhbar” that “this direction reflects a desire among parties loyal to the Saudi-UAE coalition to prolong the suffering of state employees whose salaries have been suspended for eight years.” The source pointed out that “Sana’a’s position on the resumption of oil exports in the southern provinces is linked to the approval of other parties to allocate the revenues from crude oil sales to pay employees’ salaries and improve public services throughout Yemen.” The source confirmed that “any attempt to circumvent this demand will be met with force to prevent any oil tanker from approaching the Yemeni ports on the eastern coast of the country.”
The source renewed the warning to shipping companies about ignoring messages from Sana’a and entering the oil ports of Dhabba and Nashima located in the governorates of Shabwa and Hadhramaut. Sources close to the Aden government confirmed to “Al-Akhbar” that “arrangements have begun in Shabwa and Hadhramaut to resume oil exports next Wednesday,” hinting that this direction crystallized following the announcement of the agreement to end economic escalation. Observers believe that Ahmed Bin Mubarak’s government, which faced widespread criticism from its supporters following the recent agreement, seeks to absorb the anger by talking about resuming oil exports without prior agreement, suggesting it received something in return for agreeing to stop the escalation. This narrative has been denied by Sana’a.
Last week, the “Presidential Council” conditioned that the Salvation Government allow the resumption of oil exports—without committing to pay state employees’ salaries—unify the currency rate in its controlled areas with the printed currency used in Aden, and cancel the 100-rial coin minted by the Central Bank in Sana’a earlier this year. In return, the “Presidential Council” would agree to delay escalating decisions against banks subject to measures by the internationally recognized Central Bank in Aden and enter into economic negotiations with Sana’a.
Sana’a confirms that any oil tanker approaching the ports of Shabwa and Hadhramaut will be forcibly prevented.
This came in response to the request by the UN envoy, Hans Grundberg, to freeze these decisions until next month before the position was settled by canceling them, committing not to take similar steps, and preparing for unconditional negotiations on the economic and humanitarian file under UN auspices.
In the context of these negotiations, Sheikh Ali Nasser Qersha, one of those involved in the mediation committee between Sana’a and Riyadh, said in a post on “X” that the two capitals agreed to form a committee to discuss economic files, explaining that “the agreement on these files will be based on the UN roadmap.” High-ranking leaders in the “Ansar Allah” movement confirmed that the recent de-escalation agreement between Riyadh and Sana’a prioritized the implementation of humanitarian and economic aspects, especially regarding the issue of salaries, with a commitment from Saudi Arabia and the UN not to respond to American pressures and to achieve progress in the peace process.
Through the agreement with Riyadh, Sana’a aims to make a breakthrough on the salary issue to alleviate the suffering of employees and to undermine the American leverage in this file. Notably, the US envoy to Yemen, Tim Lenderking, has hindered any progress in this matter during UN-sponsored negotiations over the past two years, using it as a tool of blackmail to achieve gains for Washington. Over the past months of Yemeni escalation against Israeli navigation in the Red Sea, Washington tried to bargain with Sana’a by agreeing to resolve the salary issue as part of American offers to deter Yemen from continuing to support the Palestinian people.
Source: Al-Akhbar Newspaper
