Yemen’s ports represent critical and irreplaceable infrastructure essential to commercial and humanitarian activities in Yemen. However, port capacity in Yemen has been greatly reduced by the war raging there.
Aaccording to a damage and capacity analysis of the port infrastructure and operations carried out by the Port of Rotterdam Authority on behalf of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), the supply of basic needs such as medicines, food and fuels is becoming increasingly difficult and expensive.
In fact, 2019 and late 2020 the Port of Rotterdam Authority conducted a damage and capacity analysis of port infrastructure and operations in the ports of Aden, Hodeidah, Saleef, Ras Isa and Mukalla.
Based on the findings, it put forward proposals for operational improvements and restoration of the port infrastructure. It also came up with proposals aimed at improving the management and maintenance of these ports.
The war that has been raging in Yemen since 2015 has resulted in heavy damage to the country’s infrastructure (including to its ports), making the supply of basic needs such as medicine, food and fuels increasingly difficult and expensive. Around 22 million people currently depend on humanitarian aid and 16 million are going hungry.
UNDP is using the results of the damage and capacity analysis to urge authorities to reduce the cost of importing food and to make it easier to bring in knowledge and skills. The organisation is also using the results to help raise funds through the UN donor countries so that the recommended measures can be introduced.
