World Bank: Damage in 16 Yemeni Cities Estimated at Over $8 Billion

War in Yemen has wreaked damage worth 6.9 billion to 8.5 billion dollars in 16 of the country’s most vital cities such as Sanaa, the capital, Aden, the interim capital, the southern city of Taiz, and the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah.

According to the World Bank’s Yemen Dynamic Needs Assessment, infrastructure in these metropolises was widely destroyed. Connecting highways, bridges and even neighborhood alleys in these cities incurred significant damage.

“Major roads and bridges—and municipal roads in Sanaa, Aden, Ibb, Taiz, Hodeidah, Saada and Amran, among others—have been severely damaged. The damage to urban roads has rendered large segments inaccessible to people and vehicles, with negative impacts on trade, mobility and access to local services like markets, health facilities and schools,” read the report.

Through the Yemen Integrated Urban Services Emergency Project (YIUSEP), 234 kilometers of urban roads in eight cities have been rehabilitated, and access to critical services has been restored for more than three million beneficiaries.

The World Bank Board of Directors approved on Wednesday a $50 million grant from the International Development Association (IDA), the World Bank’s fund for the poorest countries, to support YIUSEP.

“This project is more necessary than ever. In addition to the devastating impact of the conflict and compounding effects of COVID19, Yemen is vulnerable to floods and other climate-related shocks” said Tania Meyer, World Bank Country Manager for Yemen.

“Through an integrated approach aimed at building resilience in urban areas, YIUSEP II will support basic services, key corridors and off-grid power to health and education facilities.”

Yemen had one of the lowest per capita levels of electricity consumption—and the lowest level of access to it in the Middle East and North Africa region—before the current conflict worsened in 2015. Its public supply from the national grid has since largely shut down.

Light emissions visible from satellite imagery indicate that electricity consumption has decreased by about 75%. The population and economy are suffering greatly from the effects the scarcity of diesel fuel is having on reducing the supply of electricity.