Ministry of Transport :13 billion , 644 million dollars in damages & losses in transportation sector during nine years of aggression
The Minister of Transport in the caretaker government, Abdul Wahab Al-Durrah, confirmed in an event and press conference organized by the Ministry of Transport, on the ninth anniversary of National Resilience Day, that the Saudi aggression coalition is still imposing its siege on the Yemeni people.
He pointed out that the aggression caused great damage and losses to the port of Hodeidah and the airports of Sanaa, Taiz, Hodeida , Sa’ada, and the land ports included infrastructure, facilities, devices, light heavy equipment, electricity generators, etc., roads and bridges.
Minister Al-Durrah stated that the number of passengers traveling through Sana’a Airport before the aggression amounted to more than one million passengers a year to all destinations, while the number of passengers during the year 2023 through the only destination of Jordan reached only 100 thousand passengers, or 10 percent, as a result of the continued… Siege on the airport.
He stressed that the Ministry of Transport, its bodies and institutions worked to advance this vital sector, achieved achievements and was able to rehabilitate Hodeida ports , Saleef and Ras Issa to receive all ships and commercial containers, as well as restoring the readiness of Sana’a Airport with self-financing.
He said, “We are currently working with the combined efforts of everyone in the bodies and institutions to develop , modernize the ports of the Yemeni Red Sea Corporation, and work to open new destinations through Sana’a Airport, as well as rehabilitating Taiz and Hodeida international airports.”
The caretaker Minister of Transport called on the caretaker government to open all major and secondary land roads, without exception, throughout the provinces, in a way that contributes to alleviating the suffering of the Yemeni people and travelers.
He reiterated the firm, clear and humanitarian position of the Republic of Yemen towards the Palestinian people until the aggression stops, the siege is lifted, food and medicine are allowed to enter Gaza Strip.
He also affirmed the rejection of the militarization of the Red and Arab Seas by America and Britain, indicating that the number of ships that sailed in the Red Sea during the first quarter of 2024 amounted to more than five thousand and 500 ships.
For his part, the head of the Civil Aviation and Meteorology Authority, Dr. Muhammad Abdel Qader, explained that the aggression coalition has mainly targeted the air transport sector since its first aggression against Sana’a Airport, with the aim of taking it out of operational readiness and paralyzing air transport.
He pointed out that the amount of direct and indirect damage and losses inflicted on the air transport sector, which included the Civil Aviation Authority and its various sectors, Yemen Airways, and Saeeda Airlines from the beginning of the aggression until March 2024, is estimated at approximately six billion , 910 million and 82 thousand dollars.
While the head of the Land Transport Regulatory Authority, Dr. Ibrahim Al-Muayyad, explained that the direct , indirect damages and losses incurred by the land transport sector during nine years of aggression and siege amounted to 999 million and 868 thousand dollars… indicating that the authority was able to expand its branches in various provinxes to reach 14 branches. .
In turn, the deputy of the Yemeni Red Sea Ports Corporation, Nasr al-Nusairi, confirmed that the damage and losses suffered by the corporation during the years of aggression , siege amounted to three billion , 306 million and 510 thousand dollars.
He expressed his regret for the United Nations’ lack of commitment to provide bridge cranes “cranes” for the port of Hodeida instead of the cranes targeted by the aggression… stressing that the institution, despite the aggression and siege, maintained the highest standards in its work with the testimony of international companies and institutions.
For his part, Director of Administrative Affairs at the Maritime Affairs Authority, Salah Al-Wazir, explained that the direct , indirect damages and losses suffered by maritime affairs during nine years of aggression against Yemen amounted to two billion , 427 million and 577 thousand dollars.
A statement issued by the event and the press conference, read by Deputy Minister of Transport Mohammed Al-Hashemi, indicated that the total estimated direct , indirect damage and losses to the air, sea and land transport sectors amounted to 13 billion , 644 million and 37 thousand US dollars since the beginning of the aggression in March 2015 until 2024 AD, including Six billion , 910 million and 82 thousand dollars in the air transport sector and its related sectors.
He pointed out that Sana’a Airport is one of the most prominent damaged transportation facilities, as its infrastructure was destroyed, such as buildings, facilities, halls, the main runway for aircraft landing and take-off, the aviation field electricity system, security and electronic devices, equipment, electricity generators, air navigation devices, communication devices, and others.
He explained that the strategic port of Hodeida was targeted for humanitarian services, on which two-thirds of the population of the Republic of Yemen depend, causing the destruction of the bridge cranes on which the port’s work depends, in addition to heavy , light devices , equipment, electricity generators, a number of docks, and others.
He stated that the United Nations did not implement what it committed to in the 2018 Stockholm Agreement to restore and rehabilitate Hodeida port, despite repeated meetings , meetings with them and promises without implementation.
He stressed that the damage and losses to the land transport sector included buildings, facilities and various means of land transport, indicating that land ports, roads and bridges were subjected to systematic destruction and closure of a number of main roads such as the Sana’a-Aden road and Sana’a-Ma’rib road, in addition to the complete destruction of a number of land ports, and some ports.
The wilderness was transformed by the aggression and its mercenaries into military barracks and others, in addition to destroying heavy, medium and light means of transportation.
The statement explained that the US-Saudi aggression coalition is still imposing an air blockade on Sana’a Airport, and there is now only one destination to Jordan, which has exacerbated the suffering of citizens because the airport provides service to about 30 million Yemenis, and patients rely on it to travel due to its average location in the densely populated provinces…pointing out that the continuation of the siege on Sana’a Airport is causing dozens of patients to lose their lives.
He reiterated the operational, technical and professional readiness of Sana’a Airport to receive all civil flights around the clock in accordance with the requirements of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
The statement also reaffirmed the readiness of Hodeida Port and other ports affiliated with the Yemeni Red Sea Ports Corporation, to receive all ships , commercial containers , to provide navigational services to ships and marine line companies in the required manner, which contributes to the smooth arrival and departure of ships from Hodeida Port with ease and around the clock.
He pointed out the necessity of opening roads in a way that contributes to alleviating the suffering of the Yemeni people in general and travelers in particular. He praised the community efforts and mediation committees for opening roads with the Presidential and Military Committee, which implements the directives of the President of the Supreme Political Council to open roads closed since the beginning of the aggression with the aim of alleviating the suffering of citizens and preserving their lives and safety. From the interruptions, looting and robbery they are exposed to on rugged roads that are not fit for travel.
The statement affirmed that the Republic of Yemen continues its commitment to maintaining international peace and security and the safety of maritime navigation in the Red and Arabian Seas, except for Israeli, American and British ships, until the Zionist-American aggression against Gaza stops.
It pointed out that sea destinations to any port in the world are safe through Arab and Red seas, and whoever hinders international navigation in the Red and Arab seas is the American party that insists on the passage of Israeli ships and obstructing the ceasefire in Gaza.
It stressed that there is no threat from Yemen to ships crossing the Bab al-Mandab Strait, with the exception of Israeli ships or those heading to the ports of the Israeli entity or American and British ships whose governments were involved in the aggression against Yemen.
The statement stated that everyone can follow the data provided by the Ministry’s Regional Maritime Center on international navigation, as well as through the Ministry’s daily data on its official website (www.mot.gov.ye) and on social media pages.
It called for the complete and comprehensive opening of Sana’a Airport without restrictions or conditions to all destinations, allowing Arab and international civil aviation companies to operate flights to , from Sana’a Airport, and providing the required navigational devices that the United Nations has committed to in place of the devices that were destroyed by the aggression.
The statement also called for the rehabilitation of Hodeidah Port in accordance with what the United Nations committed to in the Stockholm Agreement and in accordance with the plans and studies prepared by the Red Sea Ports Corporation , recently submitted and approved by the United Nations, most notably bridge cranes.
It also called for the opening of all main roads throughout the provinces of the Republic, and for the other party to prioritize the public interest over other interests in a way that contributes to alleviating the suffering of citizens , the safety of their lives and property.
The event, which was attended by the Undersecretary for the Air Transport Sector, Abdullah Al-Ansi, the Acting Chairman of the Board of Directors of Yemen Airways, Khalil Jahaf, the Undersecretary of the Civil Aviation Authority, Raed Jabal, and the assistant undersecretaries of the Ministry and the Civil Aviation Authority, included a presentation on the achievements of the Civil Aviation Authority, the Organization of Land Transport Affairs, and the Ports Corporation the Red Sea and maritime affairs during nine years of aggression against Yemen.
