[28/09/2026 12:04]

ADEN-SABA

Foreign Minister Afrah al-Zouba said the September 26, 1962 Revolution established Yemenis’ right to government based on popular will and laid the foundations for a national state founded on equal citizenship.

In an interview with Saba marking the 64th anniversary of the revolution, al-Zouba said the revolution ended decades of isolation and autocratic rule under the imamate and launched a national project to build state institutions and expand political and social rights.

She said the revolution transformed Yemen from an isolated state into a sovereign republic with a modern constitutional system, national army and administrative institutions. It also expanded access to education, healthcare and infrastructure, increased public participation and strengthened women’s role in education, employment and public life.

Al-Zouba said the revolution also established a foreign policy based on openness, good-neighborly relations, respect for sovereignty and non-interference in the internal affairs of other states. The new republic quickly gained broad international recognition, strengthened its representation at the United Nations and Arab League, contributed to the establishment of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and expanded Yemen’s diplomatic relations and international engagement.

She stressed that the revolution restored Yemenis’ right to equal citizenship and established the principle that government is a responsibility to serve the people, regardless of lineage, sect or region.

Al-Zouba said the sacrifices of the revolution’s leaders, military officers, intellectuals, tribesmen, workers, expatriates and other segments of society culminated in the defense of the republic during the 70-Day Siege and extended the revolution’s values of freedom, dignity, justice and equality across Yemen, eventually leading to independence and Yemeni unity.

She said the challenges that followed the revolution did not diminish the legitimacy of its objectives, but underscored the need to complete its goals through reform, the rule of law, stronger institutions and accountable management of public resources.

Al-Zouba accused the Houthi militia of seeking to reproduce the essence of the former imamate by placing its authority above state institutions, undermining equal citizenship, using education for sectarian mobilization, suppressing freedoms and exploiting public resources, with military and financial support from Iran.

She praised Yemenis who have continued to uphold the values of September despite repression, particularly in Houthi-controlled areas, and hailed the armed forces, security forces and popular resistance fighters defending the republic.

“Honoring the September Revolution requires preserving the republic, restoring its institutions, placing weapons and sovereign decision-making in the hands of the state, and building a future in which Yemenis can live with security, rights and dignity,” al-Zouba said. “September opened the path to freedom for our people, and our responsibility is to protect that path and advance toward a just state capable of serving all its citizens.”

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