Yemeni Optimism About the Decision to Regularize Irregular Situations in Saudi Arabia

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"Correcting the status of irregular Yemenis in Saudi Arabia gives them greater space for stability and the ability to continue working and supporting their families in Yemen, amid the circumstances the country is going through," described the Deputy Minister of Human Rights in Yemen, Nabil Abdul Hafiz, the decision of Saudi Arabia to begin correcting the status of Yemenis present in Saudi Arabia irregularly, based on the directive of King Salman bin Abdulaziz, in response to a request from the President of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council, Dr. Rashad Al-Alimi.

The Deputy Minister of Human Rights in Yemen, Abdul Hafiz, emphasizes in a conversation with "Al Arabiya.net" that this step goes beyond its procedural importance, as it has a direct impact on the lives of Yemenis residing in the Kingdom, pointing out that the decision itself did not come in isolation from the reality of the extended relationship between Saudi Arabia and Yemen. Yesterday, the Saudi monarch King Salman directed the response to the request of the President of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council, Dr. Rashad Muhammad Al-Alimi, to correct the status of all those present in the Kingdom irregularly of Yemeni nationality.

Following that, the Ministry of Interior announced the start of correction procedures in cooperation with the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Human Resources and Social Development and the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), as an "extension of the continuous support and fraternal positions provided by the leadership of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the Yemeni people."

King Salman bin Abdulaziz's directive to correct the status of irregular Yemenis carries a sense of Yemeni optimism, as the Deputy Minister of Human Rights in Yemen, Nabil Abdul Hafiz, stated in a conversation with "Al Arabiya.net" that this step is "not surprising" in the context of Saudi positions towards Yemen, pointing out that the bilateral relations have been linked for decades with social, economic, and geographical dimensions, noting that Yemenis view the Kingdom as a natural extension of the fraternal relationship between the two peoples.

In parallel, the Yemeni embassy in Saudi Arabia called on all Yemeni citizens who are eligible for correction procedures to benefit from what it described as a "generous initiative" to rectify the status of all Yemenis in the Kingdom who are residing illegally, and to prepare to complete the procedures, and to follow up on what will be issued by the relevant Saudi authorities regarding instructions, regulations, and deadlines, and to comply with them, according to the embassy's statement.

The Yemeni embassy in Riyadh is working in coordination with the consulate general and relevant authorities to facilitate the correction procedures for irregular residents, urging all residents concerned with the correction procedures to follow what is issued by the official channels of the relevant authorities in the Kingdom and the Yemeni embassy, and not to rely on any information or instructions circulated from unofficial sources.

The Yemeni embassy in Riyadh emphasized that it will announce the details, regulations, deadlines, and mechanisms of the correction procedures, along with related consular services, through the embassy's website and its official accounts. Nabil Abdul Hafiz confirms that the correction step carries an additional significance regarding the nature of the special Saudi-Yemeni relations, which are not limited to official ties but extend to intertwined social, economic, and security links.

Abdul Hafiz pointed out that the decision comes at a time when Yemenis are experiencing difficult economic and humanitarian conditions, considering that rectifying the status of irregular residents grants beneficiaries a greater degree of stability and allows them to continue working more regularly, which reflects positively on their families in Yemen.

Abdul Hafiz believes that the impact of the decision does not stop at regularizing the status of beneficiaries but extends to enhancing their sense of security and stability, especially as the living conditions of Yemeni residents are linked to families residing inside Yemen. He confirmed that these residents received the step with appreciation and gratitude, considering it a reflection of the strong relationship between the two countries.

Abdul Hafeez concluded his speech by emphasizing that Saudi-Yemeni relations represent, as he described, a relationship where social and economic ties intertwine with common interests, pointing out that the two countries face shared security and regional challenges, noting that the continuation of cooperation between them is an important element in supporting stability in the region.