Saudi Arabia Injects Billions to Push the UAE Out of Yemen and Signals a Southern State for Separatists
Reuters: Saudi promises to the Southern Transitional Council of an independent state—but only after “resolving the Houthi file”
NYN | Reports and Analyses
Reuters reported, citing Western officials, sources within the coalition government, and a separatist official, that Saudi Arabia injected billions of dollars during the latest phase of fighting in Yemen as part of efforts aimed at reducing Emirati influence and pushing the UAE out of the Yemeni scene.
According to the sources, Riyadh offered separatist factions promises of a possible independent state in southern Yemen, but conditioned any progress on this track on first dealing with the Houthis and ending the confrontation with them.
Political promises in exchange for a delayed phase
Reuters quoted Western officials and an official in the coalition government as saying that Saudi Arabia informed separatist actors that the project of a southern state could be on the table, but that its implementation would remain postponed until the military and political situation in the north is settled.
A separatist official was quoted by the agency as saying:
“It is good to be on the winning side, even if you are the loser.”
A Saudi project parallel to Abu Dhabi’s?
While Saudi Arabia had previously argued that it was acting to thwart the secessionist project adopted by the UAE through its proxies in the south, observers believe that Riyadh has now developed its own project to reshape the south, the outlines of which have begun to emerge through the Southern factions conference hosted by the Saudi capital, Riyadh.
According to the sources, the conference witnessed striking scenes, most notably the raising of the secessionist flag and the chanting of its anthem—moves that observers viewed as an indication of a Saudi approach to managing the southern file based on a vision different from that of Abu Dhabi.
Reuters: No official confirmation
Reuters confirmed that it was unable to independently verify what Saudi officials told the Riyadh-backed government regarding support for a track aimed at establishing a new separatist state in southern Yemen.
