Yemen Monitor / Newsroom:
The local authority in Yemen’s Hadramawt Governorate announced on Saturday its support for the decision to resume oil exports, as announced by Presidential Leadership Council Chairman Dr. Rashad Al-Alimi. It described the restoration of oil exports as an important step toward supporting the national economy and improving living conditions, but stressed that the governorate’s rights and entitlements must be guaranteed before any practical implementation begins.
In an official statement, the local authority said it supports all efforts to restore oil exports, describing oil as a sovereign national resource that strengthens the state’s ability to meet its obligations, ease citizens’ suffering, and support Yemen’s economic and financial recovery.
The statement emphasized that any measures related to resuming exports must be based on the principles of partnership, justice, and fairness, while taking into account the legitimate rights of Hadramawt as the country’s largest oil-producing governorate, which has borne the economic, social, and environmental burdens associated with oil production and exports for many years.
The local authority stressed that Hadramawt ‘s 20% share of the crude oil produced and exported from the Masila fields and other oil sectors within the governorate is an acquired right that must not be infringed upon. It rejected any arrangements that would reduce these entitlements or reverse previous agreements.
It noted that this allocation, approved following the resumption of oil production and exports from the Masila fields through Al-Dhabbah Port in August 2016, represents the minimum of the governorate’s rights and should be preserved as a cornerstone of national partnership and a means of strengthening stability and trust between the central government and oil-producing governorates.
The authority also called for the implementation of the commitments announced by the Presidential Leadership Council in its January 7, 2025 statement regarding Hadramawt ‘s demands. It urged that these commitments be translated into a clear implementation program with a defined timetable and binding guarantees to ensure the governorate’s rights are fulfilled in practice.
The statement affirmed that implementing Hadramawt ‘s entitlements should precede any executive measures to resume oil exports, arguing that doing so is essential for building trust, ensuring the sustainability of export operations, and achieving their economic and national objectives.
The local authority further called on the Presidential Leadership Council and the government to promptly approve and announce the executive program for Hadramawt ‘s rights and begin implementing it before oil exports resume, thereby reinforcing the principle of partnership and ensuring economic stability.
In the same statement, the authority praised the efforts of Presidential Leadership Council member and Hadramawt Governor Salem Ahmed Al-Khanbashi, saying he continues to work with the Presidential Leadership Council, the government, and relevant authorities to secure the governorate’s rights and entitlements.
The statement concluded by reaffirming that Hadramawt will remain a key partner in supporting state stability and the recovery of the national economy, while at the same time remaining firmly committed to safeguarding its legitimate rights. It said the governorate would continue pursuing those rights through dialogue and state institutions in a manner that promotes development, national partnership, and serves the interests of both Yemen and Hadramawt.
On Monday, Presidential Leadership Council Chairman Rashad Al-Alimi announced in a televised address the resumption of crude oil exports. He said the revenues would be allocated to paying public-sector salaries, improving public services, and meeting the state’s essential obligations. He added that Yemen’s natural wealth should benefit all citizens rather than remain, in his words, “hostage to Houthi blackmail.” He also called for national unity behind state institutions and government forces to restore state authority and end the Houthis’ control over the country’s resources.
