Riyadh -- Members of the Southern Transitional Council (STC) currently based in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia announced the dissolution of the council from the Saudi capital, Riyadh—an announcement that has sparked widespread debate over the nature of Yemen’s political decision-making and the extent of national sovereignty amid growing signs of external guardianship.

According to statements circulated by the members, the decision to dissolve the STC comes in preparation for participation in the Southern Dialogue Conference scheduled to be held in Riyadh. 

The members acknowledged that the council had failed to achieve the objectives for which it was established, calling on various influential southern figures and leaders to engage in the dialogue process in hopes of reaching a clear vision and framework for resolving the Southern issue.

In their statement, STC members emphasized that they did not take part in the decision to launch military operations in the governorates of Hadramout and Al-Mahra, noting that these operations had negatively affected the Southern cause and further complicated the political and security landscape in the south.

The statement also expressed gratitude to Saudi Arabia for hosting the Southern Dialogue Conference—language that observers interpret as an implicit acknowledgment that Yemen’s political decisions are no longer made on its own soil, but rather from abroad, particularly from Riyadh.

Political analysts argue that the issuance of a decision as consequential as the dissolution of a Yemeni political body from a foreign capital underscores, beyond doubt, that Yemeni sovereignty and decision-making have fallen under Saudi dominance and tutelage, at a time when the country is grappling with deep divisions and the absence of independent state institutions capable of exercising authority from within.

Observers warn that these developments may usher in a new phase of reshaping Yemen’s political landscape in line with regional priorities—priorities that may not necessarily reflect the aspirations of the Yemeni public nor address the root causes of the protracted crisis.