The STC-Yemeni Government Partnership: Has it Reached a Dead End?
The 2019 Riyadh Agreement is an important milestone in Yemen’s ongoing conflict, introducing a power-sharing framework among the anti-Houthi coalition that culminated in the creation of the Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) in April 2022. This power-sharing agreement had a dual objective: defusing tensions between the Southern Transitional Council (STC) and the Internationally Recognized Government (IRG), and improving public services and stabilization efforts in areas under their control. For the STC, the agreement was an instrument to gain recognition by becoming part of the IRG. Meanwhile, the Yemeni government hoped this partnership would integrate the STC and moderate its demands. Ultimately, however, regional powers, especially Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, played a decisive role in achieving this agreement. The duo successfully pressured their Yemeni allies to accept the deal and share power to prevent fractures within the anti-Houthi coalition. In th...