Saudi Arabia Throws Its Weight in Hadhramaut: Preparations to Extract Oil

NYN | Reports and Analysis

In the wake of the economic de-escalation agreement between Sana’a and Riyadh, and with ongoing, undisclosed negotiations between them without the participation of the Aden government, the agenda conflict between Saudi Arabia and the UAE in Hadhramaut has resurfaced. Hadhramaut, a safe province that has largely been spared from the war over the past years, has now become a battleground where both sides are exerting their military influence. Days after the Hadhramaut Hamoum tribes, aligned with Saudi Arabia, thwarted an Emirati attempt to establish new camps in the Sharma Reserve on the coast of the Al-Dhisa Al-Sharqiya area by the Arabian Sea, Riyadh pushed Rashad Al-Alimi, the head of the “Presidential Council,” to complete arrangements for its control over the province. This also includes preparations to resume oil exports from the Al-Dhaba oil port located on the coasts of Mukalla, in agreement with Sana’a—a move viewed by the “Southern Transitional Council” as an attack on Hadhramaut and a reduction of its role there. Under the pretext of protecting the oil, Saudi Arabia is deploying its “Shield of the Nation” forces to strengthen its military presence in one of Yemen’s most important provinces, sidelining factions loyal to the UAE. Over the past years, Riyadh has worked to revive the idea of an independent “State of Hadhramaut,” supporting the creation of a national anthem and a flag for the proposed state, as a counter to the UAE’s effort, through the “Transitional Council,” to declare the South’s secession.

These developments coincide with ongoing negotiations between Sana’a and Riyadh over the division of oil revenues, which the “Transitional Council” has deemed a significant provocation, vowing to thwart it, especially as it sees Saudi control over Hadhramaut as a direct threat to the Southern cause. A source in the “Transitional Council” told *Al-Akhbar* that “Al-Alimi’s visit to Hadhramaut is politically motivated and is merely a show, as the Presidential Council has done nothing for the people of the province, and his visit is unwelcome,” adding that “the visit is part of a conspiracy to involve Hadhramaut in rejected projects.” The source also noted that “Al-Alimi aims to undermine the efforts of Hadhramaut’s people to manage their affairs independently.”

The “Alliance of Hadhramaut Tribes” had earlier considered Al-Alimi’s arrival in the province on a Saudi plane, accompanied by Saudi officers, as a clear message from Riyadh intending to control the province through the “Presidential Council,” similar to its military presence in Al-Mahra province in southern Yemen in 2018 under the pretext of protecting the already safe province. At that time, the province was handed over to Saudi forces by the former Prime Minister, Maeen Abdulmalik.

Hadhramaut’s Oil Ignites a Clash Between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi

Amid ongoing tensions between UAE-aligned and Saudi-aligned factions in Hadhramaut, sources close to the Aden government told “Al-Akhbar” that Abu Dhabi proposed a swap to Riyadh regarding the situation of its loyal factions in southern and western Yemen. According to the sources, UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed sent an envoy to Saudi Arabia, where he met with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and presented his country’s vision for the situation in the South. Among the UAE’s proposals, according to the sources, was the formation of a southern government under Abu Dhabi’s administration in exchange for the latter’s support for the economic de-escalation agreement. The sources indicated that “the demands of Hadhramaut’s factions are that Hadhramaut’s oil belongs to Hadhramaut,” while negotiations are ongoing about resuming oil exports from the Al-Dhaba oil port in exchange for giving Hadhramaut a 20% share of the oil revenues, provided that these revenues are used for development and improving services in the province.

While sources close to the Aden government circulated stories suggesting an imminent resolution to the issue of resuming oil exports from Shabwa and Marib provinces through the port of Hodeidah, controlled by Sana’a, and from Hadhramaut through the Al-Dhaba port, other sources confirmed that there is a preliminary agreement to export oil through the Al-Dhaba port in Hadhramaut and the Nashma port in Shabwa, with the revenues being deposited into a separate account for a full year, during which Saudi Arabia would handle the payment of salaries before the funds are officially withdrawn. These reports indicate that Saudi Arabia is seeking an agreement that allocates 60% of the oil revenues to the Salvation Government and 40% to its loyal factions in southern Yemen. However, economic sources in Sana’a doubt that the issue will be resolved anytime soon. “Ansar Allah” insists that the oil revenues be allocated to pay salaries and fund the operational budgets of government bodies and ministries, as was customary before the war, a demand that Saudi Arabia rejects as it seeks to keep the oil revenues ambiguous by distributing them as shares among Yemeni factions under its supervision.

Amidst this, the “Alliance of Hadhramaut Tribes” threatened yesterday to stop any attempts to export oil from the Al-Dhaba port and withdrew from negotiations led by the office of the UN Special Envoy to Yemen, Hans Grundberg, regarding the oil-rich province’s revenues that had been ongoing for days. Leaders in the “Hadhramaut Inclusive Council” and the “Tribal Alliance” also called for declaring the eastern districts of Hadhramaut, which include the most important oil fields, as a separate region. This coincided with the departure of the head of the “Hadhramaut Inclusive Council,” Amr bin Habrish, from Mukalla after withdrawing from a meeting chaired by Al-Alimi at the local authority’s headquarters in the province. According to a source in the “Tribal Alliance,” bin Habrish, who also holds the position of First Deputy of Hadhramaut, informed Al-Alimi of the necessity for Hadhramaut to be managed by its own people and to be given the recognition it deserves, otherwise “Hadhramaut will not recognize his legitimacy.”

*Source: Al-Akhbar (Lebanon)*