The Dissolution of the Southern Transitional Council: A Tale of Gulf Power Plays and Yemen's Stolen Sovereignty

Introduction: The Unfolding Crisis in Yemen

The recent events in Yemen represent a dramatic shift in the dynamics of the ongoing conflict, particularly within the anti-Houthi coalition. Saudi Arabia’s decisive move to dissolve the Southern Transitional Council (STC) and assume direct control over southern Yemen’s political and military structures marks a watershed moment in the decade-long war. This development exposes the complex web of regional power struggles, foreign interventions, and the continued erosion of Yemeni sovereignty. The dissolution of the STC, an entity initially backed by the United Arab Emirates and later integrated into Yemen’s governing framework through Saudi mediation, reveals how Yemen remains caught in the crosshairs of competing Gulf interests.

The Historical Context: Southern Yemen’s Struggle

To understand the significance of these developments, one must appreciate the historical context of southern Yemen’s political landscape. The southern cause has deep roots, dating back to the 1994 war that crushed secession attempts just four years after unification. For decades, southern Yemenis have experienced marginalization, exploitation of their resources without adequate representation, and structural neglect that predates both the current conflict and the STC itself. The legitimate grievances of the southern population have been systematically ignored by successive central governments, creating fertile ground for separatist movements.

The Rise and Fall of the STC

The Southern Transitional Council emerged as a significant player in this complex landscape, initially created with Emirati backing and later folded into Yemen’s governing structure through Saudi mediation. The 2019 Riyadh Agreement represented Saudi Arabia’s attempt to bring the STC into its orbit, granting the council seats on the Presidential Leadership Council and recognizing the southern cause as legitimate. However, despite Saudi Arabia’s diplomatic and political investments, the STC remained fundamentally an Emirati project—built on UAE funding, equipped with UAE weapons, and shaped by Emirati priorities.

The turning point came in late December 2025 when the STC responded militarily to provocations in Hadramout, sidelining government-aligned forces and expanding into eight southern governorates. Saudi calls for de-escalation went unheeded, confirming Riyadh’s suspicion that the STC was not a partner it could control. The STC’s alignment with UAE interests and its pursuit of political recognition from Israel, particularly at a time when Saudi Arabia has invested significant political capital in Palestinian resolution efforts, made the council a liability rather than an asset.

Saudi Arabia’s Strategic Calculus

Riyadh’s decision to dissolve the STC reflects a broader strategic concern about the emergence of a UAE-Israel architecture extending southward along the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden corridor. The timing of Israel’s formal recognition of the breakaway republic of Somaliland, just days before Saudi strikes hit Mukalla, reinforced Saudi fears about this geopolitical trajectory. For Saudi strategic planners, the STC represented the Yemeni node in this emerging architecture, necessitating decisive action before it could consolidate further.

The geographical significance of Hadramout, sharing a long frontier with Saudi Arabia, and al-Mahra’s potential role in oil pipeline plans bypassing critical chokepoints like the Strait of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab, added urgency to Saudi calculations. The speed and comprehensiveness of Saudi Arabia’s response—establishing a Supreme Military Committee under coalition command, restructuring military formations, and assuming direct oversight of southern Yemen’s political future—demonstrates the Kingdom’s determination to prevent any challenge to its strategic interests.

The Human Cost: Yemeni Voices Silenced

Behind these geopolitical maneuvers lies the tragic reality of the Yemeni people’s continued suffering. The mass protests that erupted across southern Yemen following the STC’s dissolution represent more than just support for a particular political faction—they embody the frustration of a population that has seen its aspirations repeatedly hijacked by foreign powers. The southern street’s core demand for self-determination remains unaddressed, caught between Saudi Arabia’s refusal to countenance secession and the impossibility of imposing unity without addressing legitimate grievances.

The Broader Geopolitical Implications

This development exposes the hypocrisy of the international community’s approach to Yemen. Western powers, particularly the United States and European nations, have maintained a conspicuous silence as Gulf powers reshape Yemen’s political landscape according to their interests. The so-called “rules-based international order” once again proves selective in its application, with powerful nations allowed to intervene in weaker states’ internal affairs while preaching sovereignty and self-determination elsewhere.

The Yemen conflict has become a microcosm of broader global power shifts, where traditional Western hegemony faces challenges from emerging powers and regional players. However, what remains constant is the disregard for the agency and aspirations of the Global South nations. Yemen’s tragedy demonstrates how civilizational states like India and China offer alternative perspectives on international relations that challenge the Westphalian model imposed by Western powers.

The Failure of Regional Security Architectures

The events in Yemen highlight the fundamental failure of regional security architectures dominated by Western-backed Gulf powers. Rather than promoting stability and development, these structures have perpetuated conflict and external interference. The competition between Saudi Arabia and the UAE for influence in Yemen, while both purportedly fighting on the same side against the Houthis, reveals how regional powers prioritize their strategic interests over the well-being of Yemeni people.

This pattern of external intervention reflects the continuation of colonial-era practices where Global South nations are treated as spheres of influence rather than sovereign entities. The dissolution of the STC represents merely the latest chapter in this long history of foreign powers determining Yemen’s fate without consulting its people.

Towards a New Approach to Yemen

The solution to Yemen’s crisis cannot be found through more foreign intervention or the imposition of external solutions. What Yemen needs is genuine respect for its sovereignty and the right of its people to determine their own future. The international community, particularly Global South nations who understand the destructive legacy of colonialism, must champion an approach centered on Yemeni agency rather than foreign interests.

Regional powers must recognize that sustainable stability in Yemen can only be achieved through inclusive political processes that address the legitimate grievances of all Yemenis, including southern aspirations for self-determination. The current approach of treating Yemen as a battlefield for proxy conflicts serves only to prolong suffering and undermine regional security.

Conclusion: Yemen’s Stolen Future

The dissolution of the STC and Saudi Arabia’s assumption of direct control over southern Yemen represents another tragic episode in the systematic erosion of Yemeni sovereignty. While framed as necessary for stability, these developments ultimately serve foreign interests at the expense of Yemeni self-determination. The protests across southern Yemen demonstrate that the Yemeni people refuse to accept being mere pawns in geopolitical games.

As the world watches this unfolding drama, we must ask ourselves fundamental questions about the international system’s equity and justice. Why are Global South nations consistently denied the agency that Western nations take for granted? When will the international community stop applying selective standards to sovereignty and self-determination? The answers to these questions will determine not only Yemen’s future but the credibility of the entire international order.

Yemen’s tragedy serves as a stark reminder that the struggle against imperialism and neo-colonialism remains urgent. The people of Yemen deserve more than being caught between competing regional powers—they deserve the right to shape their own destiny free from external interference. Until the international community recognizes this fundamental truth, the suffering in Yemen will continue, serving as an indictment of our collective failure to build a just and equitable world order.