Saudi-Emirati Split Deepens Over Influence in Southern Yemen
The dispute between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates over control and influence in southern Yemen remains unresolved, despite the visit of the UAE vice president to Riyadh, and Abu Dhabi is demanding that its role in the south be restored before it re-enters the war.
The Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar reported that the UAE has set participation in the war on the condition that administration of the southern provinces be limited to forces it supports, while its political and military share is maintained. Saudi Arabia, however, insists on continuing to back its own allies and has accused the Southern Transitional Council of betrayal.
According to the report, Riyadh does not agree to hand over management of the southern provinces to Abu Dhabi, as it considers these areas part of its political and military sphere of influence. Saudi officials are also concerned that accepting the UAE’s demands would further weaken what remains of Saudi Arabia’s leverage in the Yemen equation.
Meanwhile, the Riyadh-aligned government in Aden continues to accuse Aidrous al-Zubaidi, the head of the Southern Transitional Council, of “major treason.” A number of activists and figures close to Saudi Arabia have also accused Abu Dhabi of colluding with the government in Sanaa and of field coordination with commanders affiliated with the Southern Transitional Council.
Al-Akhbar wrote that the UAE currently does not have the capacity to enter the war directly alongside Saudi Arabia, especially as major powers and regional countries are avoiding such a conflict because of its security and strategic consequences. The report adds that the UAE is still dealing with the fallout from the Israel and US war against Iran, and that entering a new confrontation would be costly for the country.
According to the newspaper, direct Emirati participation in the Yemen war would only be likely if the United States became involved in the conflict as part of a broader plan, and Abu Dhabi could preserve its share of any potential gains. In 2021, too, the UAE rejoined the Yemen war after announcing its withdrawal in 2019, following Washington’s request for an attack on Marib.
The positions of Emirati media outlets and southern platforms close to Abu Dhabi indicate that the country remains displeased with the removal of its supported forces from Yemen’s southern provinces in late last year. According to the report, a number of activists and politicians in southern Yemen are also watching with satisfaction Saudi Arabia’s failures in managing military operations and protecting its vital facilities.
