Enab Baladi – Omar Alaa Eldin
The Yemeni embassy, affiliated with the internationally recognized government of Aden, will officially resume its work in Damascus tomorrow, Sunday, April 27.
The Yemeni Foreign Ministry announced in an official statement published today, Saturday, the resumption of the Yemeni embassy’s work in Syria, in implementation of the directives of the foreign ministers of both countries and based on the historical and distinguished relations that bind them.
The ministry appointed advisor Mohammed Azzi Ba’kr as Chargé d’Affaires.
The ministry stated that “the embassy’s return to perform its duties after being controlled by the Houthi terrorist militias since 2016, with the support of the former Syrian regime, represents a historic and diplomatic moment in the relations between the two countries and their brotherly peoples,” according to the statement.
The Yemeni Foreign Ministry expressed its hope to enhance bilateral relations between Yemen and Syria through the reopening of the embassy, paving the way for a new phase of cooperation between the two countries in various fields.
What does the return signify?
Mahmoud al-Taher, the executive president of the General Union of Yemeni Journalists, stated that the reopening of the Yemeni embassy affiliated with the legitimate government in Damascus, after nine years of control by the Houthi militias, represents an important diplomatic step reflecting significant geopolitical transformations.
In an interview with Enab Baladi, al-Taher noted that the resumption of the embassy’s work confirms “the legitimacy’s recovery of an important part of Yemen’s presence in the international arena, especially in light of the government’s efforts to strengthen its relations with various Arab countries, particularly the new Syria that has also removed Iranian control.”
According to al-Taher, for many years, the embassy in Damascus was a symbol of the division imposed by the Iranian-backed Houthi militia, which used the embassy to serve agendas that were outside Yemen’s national will, in his words.
Furthermore, former Syrian diplomat Bashar al-Haj Ali believes that this step signals a significant political indication that the new Syria is moving towards detachment from a policy of axes and re-engaging with its Arab environment, based on positions that enhance common Arab security.
Al-Haj Ali told Enab Baladi that this step is “not ordinary” and does not come in a formal context; rather, it reflects a new Syrian orientation to reposition itself within the Arab space, distancing itself from the Iranian axis.
It confirms the readiness of the new Syrian administration to align with priorities of Arab security, including moving away from supporting cross-border militias, according to the Syrian diplomat. Additionally, the restoration of relations with the legitimate Yemeni government carries a political message that Damascus is now more open to the regional Arab system, enhancing chances of stability and reinstating Syria to its natural role.
Upcoming support?
According to al-Haj Ali, Gulf states will interpret this development as a positive signal indicating that Damascus has effectively distanced itself from Iranian influence. As a result, we might witness broader political support for the new Syria, accompanied by a gradual motion to stimulate economic support projects aimed at bolstering internal stability.
However, this support will remain conditional and limited by the lifting of sanctions. According to al-Haj Ali, the new administration must adopt clear and sustainable policies and practices that demonstrate responsiveness to internal requirements, align with Syrian sovereignty, and affirm Syria’s continuity in this Arab path, away from previous alignment policies.
On December 30, 2024, Yemeni Foreign Minister Shayea Mohsen al-Zindani made a call to Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani.
During the call, al-Zindani emphasized the importance of strengthening brotherly ties between the two countries and expressed the Yemeni government’s support for the new Syrian government, congratulating the Syrian people on their recent victory, as stated by the Yemeni Foreign Ministry at that time.
The minister pointed out that the Yemeni government will work to reopen its embassy in Damascus as soon as possible to enhance relations and direct communication between the two countries.
For his part, the Syrian Foreign Minister affirmed his country’s interest in strengthening brotherly relations with Yemen and the importance of reviving and developing them to serve the interests of the two brotherly peoples and countries.
Struggle for the embassy
Former Yemeni Foreign Minister Ahmed Awad Bin Mubarak announced on October 11, 2023, that the Syrian regime had handed over the Yemeni embassy in Damascus to the internationally recognized legitimate government instead of the representative affiliated with the Houthis.
Bin Mubarak told Independent Arabia at that time that former Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mikdad informed him that they had ousted the Houthis from the Yemeni embassy building in Damascus.
He added that “this came as a result of our recent meetings with our Syrian brothers in Egypt and Saudi Arabia,” indicating the Saudi role in restoring relations between the regime and Arab countries.
Regarding the anticipated governmental procedures, the Yemeni minister confirmed that his government is “ready to appoint a diplomatic mission there in the near future.”
Saudi Arabia supports the legitimate government in Yemen against the Iran-backed Houthis, who control several major cities, including the capital, Sanaa.
As a result of their loss of international legitimacy, the Houthis, backed by Iran, had no foreign diplomatic representation except in Iran and Syria.
The director in the finance ministry affiliated with the Houthis, Khaled al-Arasi, admitted that the Syrian authorities had informed the group’s representatives to vacate the Yemeni embassy in Damascus, considering this a failure in “the only test of representation in international relations.”
Yemen was among the Arab countries that diplomatically boycotted the former Syrian regime after 2011, while the rift between the two countries increased following the intervention of the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen in March 2015, after the regime sided with the Houthis and established diplomatic relations with the Ansar Allah (Houthis), which appointed an ambassador for Yemen in Damascus in March 2016.
The Houthis appointed a leader from the Yemeni Baath Party (Syria branch), Naif Ahmad al-Qanes, as their ambassador in Damascus, who previously served as deputy chairman of the Supreme Revolutionary Committee.
In November 2020, the group announced the appointment of media figure Abdullah Ali Sabri as their ambassador in Damascus, succeeding al-Qanes. The Yemeni government responded by announcing the initiation of legal action against three leaders of the group accused of “impersonating diplomatic status in Iran and Syria,” including the two former ambassadors.
Yemen reopens embassy in Damascus: Key implications Enab Baladi.
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