Azerbaijan welcomes Saudi, UAE efforts to stabilise Yemen

Azerbaijan has welcomed initiatives by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates aimed at de-escalating tensions and ensuring security and stability in Yemen, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said on social media.

“The current situation in Yemen underscores the necessity to exercise restraint and to prioritise collective work, dialogue and peaceful solutions,” Caliber.Az quotes the Ministry as saying on X.

The statement added: “Azerbaijan reaffirms its support for the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Yemen, and commends all endeavours aimed at safeguarding the interests of the Yemeni people with a view to achieving lasting peace, prosperity and development in the country.”

In late December 2025, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates launched diplomatic initiatives to ease rising tensions in southern Yemen, centered on the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC), a separatist group pushing for southern autonomy.

Tensions spiked when STC forces seized oil-rich eastern provinces like Hadramout and al-Mahra earlier in the month, displacing forces loyal to the Saudi-supported internationally recognized Yemeni government and taking key sites in Aden. Saudi Arabia called this an unjustified escalation and demanded the STC withdraw peacefully.

A joint Saudi-Emirati military delegation visited Aden to mediate and restore the pre-escalation status. Saudi leaders stressed restraint, dialogue, and consensus-based solutions, while the UAE praised Saudi Arabia's lead role and reaffirmed commitment to Yemen's stability.

By Khagan Isayev