Thousands rally in Aden supporting Southern Transitional Council

Thousands of people rallied in Yemen's southern port city of Aden on Saturday in a show of support for the Southern Transitional Council (STC), amid conflicting reports over the group's alleged self-dissolution.

Pro-secession participants, some traveling from neighboring southern provinces, gathered in Aden, the seat of the Saudi-backed Presidential Leadership Council (PLC). Demonstrators held portraits of STC leader Aidarous al-Zubaidi and chanted slogans accusing Saudi Arabia of backing the PLC's efforts to retake areas previously seized by the STC.

"We rushed to the square from all directions to protest the dissolution of the Southern Transitional Council," said Abdul Qawi Mohammed, a protester.

The STC, a group seeking southern Yemen's independence and allegedly backed by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), seized parts of southern and eastern Yemen in December in advances that heightened tensions with Saudi Arabia.

Over the past few days, Saudi-backed forces largely regained control of these areas. Rashad al-Alimi, head of the PLC, said in a televised statement on Saturday that all contested cities had been brought under their control.

On Friday, an STC delegation in Riyadh announced on Saudi state media the dissolution of the group. However, the STC's leadership strongly denied this, describing it as "fabricated and legally void." The council said the claims were made under coercion and without any legitimate authority, insisting that it remains intact and continues to operate normally.

The STC delegation was in Riyadh for political consultations but was reportedly detained. Al-Zubaidi, the STC leader, did not attend the talks and had secretly left Yemen for the UAE.

Despite joining the Saudi-led coalition and integrating into Yemen's ruling PLC in 2022, the STC continues to push for sovereignty for the south, fueling recurring disputes over power-sharing and control of resources.

Thousands rally in Aden supporting Southern Transitional Council

Thousands rally in Aden supporting Southern Transitional Council

African officials on Wednesday pledged to scale up investment to accelerate development across the member states of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) at a meeting in Accra, Ghana's capital.

They made the commitment during the 24th Annual General Meeting of the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID), where leaders highlighted the need to expand the bank's capital base to finance transformative projects.

Ghanaian Finance Minister Cassiel Ato Forson stressed that timely capital payments would strengthen EBID's leverage and sustain its growth, enabling the institution to stimulate inclusive economic expansion across the region.

"Timely capital payments are critical. It strengthens EBID leverage and sustains its growth and impact across our region. Expanding our capital base is essential to strengthen our ability to finance transformative development projects and stimulate inclusive economic growth among our member states," said Forson.

EBID recorded strong achievements in 2025, with total disbursements of about 722 million U.S. dollars, up 47.7 percent from 2024. Building on that momentum, President George Agyekum Donkor said the bank remains committed to helping member states tackle poverty and close infrastructure gaps across the region.

"We aim to direct at least 63 percent of new commitments towards the private enterprises to catalyze job creation and innovation. Simultaneously, the bank would embed environmental, social and governance principles across its operations, dedicating over 41 percent of resources to climate mitigation and social inclusion projects," said Donkor.

With disbursements surging nearly 48 percent last year, EBID officials said the bank is positioned to channel more resources into private-sector growth and climate-focused projects, reinforcing its role as a driver of inclusive development across West Africa.

African officials vow stronger investment push at ECOWAS bank meeting in Accra