The Minister of Transport discusses with the representative of the UNDP a mechanism to rehabilitate and develop the port of Hodeidah
Today, the Minister of Transport, Zakaria Al-Shami, discussed with the Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Program in Sanaa Oki Lotsma, the implementation mechanism of what was agreed upon regarding the rehabilitation and development of the port of Hodeidah.
The meeting, in the presence of Undersecretary of the Ministry of Transport for the air transport sector, Abdullah Al-Ansi, reviewed the executive and development steps of Hodeidah Port, according to the agreements signed between the two sides last year.
The meeting stressed the importance of focusing on the necessary needs to rehabilitate the damage destroyed by the aggression in the port, the cranes and bridge cranes, and the maintenance of equipment and devices and electrical and other works in a manner that guarantees the port’s operation and qualification to receive all ships.
The Minister of Transport stated that the main focus of the Stockholm Agreement was to restart the port of Hodeidah, but that the international organizations limited their role to setting field studies and monitoring financial amounts without implementing reality.
He expressed his hope to implement and translate what was agreed upon in the plan to develop the port of Hodeidah in fact during the current year … pointing out that the Ministry of Transport provided with the Yemeni Red Sea Ports Corporation all facilities for the program to assess the extent of damage and destruction in the port of Hodeidah as a result of the aggression.
He pointed out that the needs of the port of Hodeidah are represented by bridge cranes (heavy cranes), light and heavy equipment, hangars, warehouses, and electrical stations that were destroyed by the aggression.
The Minister affirmed the importance of expediting the implementation of the projects submitted for Hodeidah Port, which were studied and evaluated by experts and technicians of the UNDP, and which have not been implemented so far.
And that the port is working with modest efforts in unloading ships arriving to dive … surprisingly, the delay in implementing projects for the port of Hodeidah despite the provision of facilities for the program to assess the situation and conduct studies in this regard.
In turn, the Resident Representative of the UNDP stressed the importance of enhancing cooperation to serve the interests of the Yemeni people and alleviating their suffering by providing them with their food and drug needs.
He also affirmed the program’s readiness to rehabilitate and operate the port of Hodeidah, and to repair two bridges, which were destroyed by the coalition following air strikes targeting the port, and the purchase of two new crins, with the assistance of the German government.
He said, “The program will work during the current year to implement what was agreed upon regarding the rehabilitation of the port of Hodeidah and the repair of what was destroyed.”
The UN official praised the interaction of the Ministry of Transport and the Red Sea Ports Corporation and the keenness to ensure the success of the tasks of experts and technicians in Al Hudaydah Port to inspect the damages and losses and what the port needs.
It was agreed to hold an expanded meeting next week, including the Ministry of Transport, the Yemeni Red Sea Ports Corporation, the Supreme Council for the Administration and Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and the United Nations Development Program, to discuss the matrix presented and ways to implement it.
