A LOOMING BATTLE OVER WADI HADRAMAWT By: Maged Al-Madhaji

4 | A LOOMING BATTLE OVER WADI HADRAMAWT THE STRUGGLE FOR THE SOUTH Major changes in Yemen over the past year saw the influence of the STC and other groups backed by the United Arab Emirates grow in areas nominally under the control of the internationally recognized government. [...] If it were to expand its influence into the strategic and oil- rich governorate, the STC would control the majority of Yemeni territory outside Houthi-held areas and nearly all of the former South Yemen, save for the easternmost governorate of Al- Mahra. [...] The bloc is also represented in the internationally recognized government via its Secretary-General Tariq al-Akbari, who serves as Minister of Education, and Assistant Secretary-General Akram al-Amiri, who was appointed as a member of the Consultation and Reconciliation Commission that was formed following the establishment of the PLC. [...] This can be contrasted with the UAE, which is leveraging the popular appeal of the idea of “Hadramization” of 1st Military Region forces, recruiting second-tier tribal sheikhs to lead socio-political initiatives that express opposition to the presence of northern forces in the governorate (such as the Al- Habba tribal movement), using friendly media to influence the local populace, and highlightin. [...] This analysis is part of a series of publications produced by the Sana’a Center and funded by the government of the Kingdom of The Netherlands.