Warring parties in Yemen urged to end humanitarian crisis

AMMAN — In its two-day meeting from January 17 to 18 in Amman, the Economic Reform Team (ERT) has reviewed the accelerated deterioration of the humanitarian and livelihood conditions for Yemeni people and cautioned of a famine that would affect eight million Yemenis, let alone 11 million Yemeni children in need for urgent humanitarian relief, according to a UNICEF report.

In particular, the ERT expressed its concern for the absence of the Yemeni Central Bank in properly directing monetary policy, which has led to the depreciation in the Yemeni riyal’s exchange rate and consequently increased food and medical prices, a statement from the ERT said on Saturday.

The team also considered the difficulties and challenges that the private sector faces while importing basic goods and commodities including lengthy clearance processes, high insurance rates, delays in offloading and handling processes in seaports, in addition to obstacles, difficulties and the high cost of transporting and distributing goods throughout Yemen’s provinces. 

At the conclusion of the deliberations, the team called upon all relevant entities to facilitate the flow of basic goods and commodities through seaports, border crossings and airports as well as throughout the provinces.  The team also called upon the relevant entities to reduce the burden the Yemeni people face in excessive fees as they negatively affect millions of people’s lives, the statement said.

As the Yemeni private sector emphasizes to all that it consistently assumes its responsibilities before society in providing services, relief, and basic goods and commodities despite the challenges and hazards facing the country today, it also calls upon the combating parties to respect the private sector’s position and avoid engaging it in the conflict as well as to set an end for the humanitarian crisis in Yemen.

The ERT holds all of the local, regional and international parties morally and legally accountable for the Yemeni people’s suffering and calls upon them to urgently find solutions that would end the humanitarian crisis witnessed in Yemen, the statement read.

The ERT comprises leaders of the private sector in Yemen who represent major industrial, commercial, banking and service sectors. It was established through a voluntary initiative from the private sector leaders, Civil Society Organisations and academics in March 2012. 

The ERT aims to enable the private sector to effectively and collectively participate in decision making and set strategies to enhance the economic reforms and spur economic growth in Yemen, according to the statement.