In a statement released Monday, the Saudi-led coalition called on all parties to reaffirm the Riyadh Agreement, following the declaration of self-administration by the Southern Transitional Council (STC) on Sunday.

"We express the need to restore the situation in the interim capital [of Aden] following the surprising announcement by the [STC] of the state of emergency and confirm that we are working on the speedy implementation of the Riyadh Agreement immediately and without delay," the coalition said in a statement.

The STC announced the state of emergency and self-administration not only in Aden but in all governorates in the south. 

Government authorities in every southern governorate except Al-Dhale rejected the declaration. The local authorities in the governorates of Hadhramout, Shabwa, Al-Mahrah, Abyan, Lahj, and Socotra rejected the STC announcement, calling it a coup d'état against the government and the Riyadh Agreement. However, reactions to the declaration among informal authorities including activists, commanders and some tribal figures have been mixed.

The coalition statement denounced all moves that it characterized as contrary to the Riyadh Agreement, and called on all parties to accelerate its implementation, reaffirming the agreement’s wide support, which includes support from the UN. It also cited this week’s heavy floods and the looming threat of COVID-19 in Yemen, as well as the need for the parties to come together to implement a proper state response.

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Edited by Ahlam Mohsen and Casey Coombs