Houthis isolated as Yemeni president receives delegations in Aden

The Houthi movement looks increasingly isolated as Yemeni President Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi is receiving foreign delegations in Aden days after fleeing the Houthi-controlled capital Sanaa.

Hadi retracted his resignation from the presidency after arriving in Aden. He had submitted his resignation last month after Houthi militiamen seized Sanaa and placed him under house arrest.

Local and international delegations are flocking to the south Yemeni city of Aden to meet with President Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi, after he fled the Yemeni capital Sanaa, which is under the control of the Ansar Allah movement (better known as the Houthis), earlier this week.

The Gulf and Arab delegations' visit to Aden comes in conjunction with the arrival of a diplomatic delegation, headed by Abdullatif al-Zayani, Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

Local and international delegations are flocking to the south Yemeni city of Aden to meet with President Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi.

"These visits are about asserting Hadi's constitutional, popular and international legitimacy as head of state", sources close to Hadi told al-Araby al-Jadeed. "The meetings discuss the possibility of restoring security and stability in Yemen, as well as offering financial aid to help with the economic and humanitarian situation in Yemen after the Houthi coup."

The sources said that in meetings with Gulf delegations, the possibility of foreign embassies returning to Yemen was discussed, provided they relocate from Sanaa to Aden, along with foreign embassies and diplomatic missions. "Foreign countries, including Security Council member states, have confirmed to Hadi that they support his legitimacy and Yemen's security and stability, as well as the implementation of the National Dialogue's recommendations, and the holding of a referendum on the draft constitution as a solution for the crisis. They also stressed their rejection of the Houthi coup in Sanaa," the sources explained.

"Hadi is monitoring the developments in Sanaa, and what the Houthi militias are doing, including clashes, kidnapping, arrests, torture and harassing their political rivals and anti-coup statesmen", the sources added. "Hadi's actions are serving Yemen's interests, unity, security and stability."

The relocation of embassies is in effect a diplomatic boycott imposed on the Houthis, a sign of their international isolation and their failure to win recognition, especially as a number of Arab and foreign ambassadors are arriving in Aden over the next few days to perform their roles as diplomatic representatives.

Radical changes

Meanwhile, Hadi is making radical changes within the security and military apparatuses in Aden and the south, as well as in some governorates in the centre and east of the country. He has also expelled pro-Houthi brigades and camps from Aden, and those that support former president Ali Abdullah Saleh, in preparation for Aden becoming his capital. He will run the state from Aden, and where diplomatic missions can resume their work. Gulf and Arab countries, as well as Western countries such as the US and the UK, are the biggest supporters of Hadi's measures.

Members of parliament and the Shura Council, along with leaders of political parties, have started relocating to Aden, which has turned into a refuge for anyone who rejects the Houthi coup, internally or externally. A seven-party delegation, including one of Hadi's advisors, arrived in Aden two days ago to meet with Hadi.

"The relocation of diplomatic missions to Aden is a last attempt to save Yemen," a political source in Sanaa told al-Araby. "Political parties are visiting Aden to meet with Hadi and discuss the situation, and in a show of support for his political and constitutional legitimacy, and not recognising that of the Houthis and their militias."

The relocation of embassies is in effect a diplomatic boycott imposed on the Houthis, a sign of their isolation and their failure to win recognition.

The source said that Hadi's legitimacy made any talks in Sanaa illegitimate, and that was why diplomatic missions were heading to Aden to talk with the legitimate President. It was no longer possible to continue talks in Aden, the source said, as anti-Houthi parties were being subjected to abduction, extortion and threats.

"There may be rebellions within the Houthi group, which would create chaos in Sanaa," he added.

Some believe that amid current developments in Sanaa, it is only natural for embassies to relocate to Aden. However, Aden does not have a lot of potential, and it is financially incapable of accommodating the new situation. Thus, international and Gulf parties have pledged to cover the deficit, especially as Houthis are threatening to cut off salaries of employees in southern and central governorates and in Maareb.

Meanwhile, parties in Aden are calling for revenues to Sanaa to be cut off and transferred to Aden instead, particularly oil and gas revenues, which are already out of the Houthis' control in the pro-Hadi and anti-Houthi areas of Maareb, Hadhramaut and Shabwah.

This is an edited translation from our Arabic edition.