Saudi Arabia Continues to Block Vital Goods to Yemen, Officials Say

According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, the Saudi-led coalition continues to impede the entry of vital goods into Yemen, according to statements from Yemeni officials. Mohammed Qaheem, in remarks criticizing the ongoing restrictions on the port of Hodeidah, stated that over the past 12 years, the Saudi-led coalition has prevented the import of medicines, chemical fertilizers, and heavy equipment into Yemen.

He added that Saudi Arabia is sending threatening messages to ships intending to sail towards the port of Hodeidah, which has impacted the flow of goods into Yemen. Qaheem highlighted the damage inflicted on the infrastructure of the port of Hodeidah, noting that coalition airstrikes in previous years have destroyed cranes and berths, causing damage that has not yet been rectified.

The Minister of Transport for the National Salvation Government of Yemen announced that the total damages to the Red Sea Ports Corporation have exceeded 12 billion dollars. Qaheem also stated that the blockade has led to the unemployment of a large number of port workers, and in some years, no container ships have entered the port of Hodeidah.

Referring to the period of de-escalation, he said that what was termed the “humanitarian phase” has in practice turned into a “catastrophic” situation for the people of Yemen. The Yemeni official further stated that the storage of containers in the port of Djibouti for over 300 days has caused goods to spoil and increased costs and demurrage charges for citizens.

According to Qaheem, currently, only between 400 to 500 containers enter the port of Hodeidah, whereas before the war, the port used to receive over 300,000 containers annually.