Sana'a: Over eleven years of steadfastness, the Ministry of Transport and Public Works has embodied an exceptional model of determination and dedication, achieving qualitative accomplishments in the air, maritime, and land transport sectors that broke the blockade, defied the aggression, and thwarted its plans aimed at paralyzing transportation movement.
According to Yemen News Agency, despite the major challenges imposed by the aggression and blockade on infrastructure in an attempt to halt transportation, considered a vital lifeline, the ministry succeeded in overcoming difficulties and mobilizing its capabilities to achieve strategic goals and provide humanitarian services to all Yemeni citizens.
In this context, the air transport sector witnessed significant development steps, foremost among them the completion of maintenance and rehabilitation works at Sana'a International Airport. These works included runway repairs, upgrading passenger facilities, modernizing air navigation and monitoring systems, and introducing advanced technologies to enhance operational efficiency and safety.
Despite repeated targeting of the airport by the aircraft of the American-Saudi-UAE aggression, the ministry, represented by the General Authority of Civil Aviation and Meteorology, managed to rehabilitate the airport's facilities several times, ensuring the continuation of navigation services for United Nations and international organization aircraft in accordance with ICAO standards. This came while the air blockade imposed by the aggression on civilian flights continues, despite the airport's operational and technical readiness.
National cadres also proved their competence by rehabilitating the Yemenia Airways aircraft maintenance center, contributing to cost reduction and enabling the company to continue providing humanitarian services for passengers traveling through Sana'a International Airport to the sole destination of Queen Alia International Airport in Jordan, with ease and high-quality humanitarian air services for all Yemeni citizens, especially patients suffering from chronic illnesses who require treatment abroad.
The national carrier also succeeded in transporting nearly 1,200 pilgrims through Sana'a International Airport during the last Hajj season of 1446 AH before the latest Israeli aggression on the airport obstructed the completion of the pilgrims' transport by targeting the only aircraft carrying passengers to Jordan.
Meanwhile, the Yemen Red Sea Ports Corporation continued developing and rehabilitating the ports of Hodeidah, Salif, and Ras Issa by introducing new cargo-handling equipment, expanding docks, enhancing the efficiency of existing systems, and improving maritime safety procedures in accordance with International Maritime Organization standards across all maritime services.
The corporation demonstrated its ability to restore port activity and reopen docks to commercial vessels within just 24 hours after repeated bombardments by the Israeli enemy, thereby foiling attempts to disrupt the port and paralyze maritime navigation.
In the field of land transport, one of the key sectors in economic development and meeting the Yemeni people's transportation needs according to internationally recognized standards, numerous projects were implemented to improve the organization of intercity and urban public transport, strengthen oversight and quality, and activate digital systems to simplify procedures and reduce paperwork.
The Land Transport Authority also implemented an electronic collection project in cooperation with the Ministry of Finance as part of efforts toward full automation of services, in addition to preparations for the strategic dry port project aimed at facilitating trade and customs activities and reducing agricultural export costs, in line with practices adopted in dry ports worldwide.
Administratively, the Ministry of Transport and Public Works launched a comprehensive integration and restructuring process across its sectors to achieve institutional integration. The process included redistributing responsibilities, unifying work systems, and adopting modern administrative methodologies based on strategic planning, efficient resource management, and transparency in performance.
The ministry also launched training and qualification programs for administrative and technical staff to strengthen their capabilities in using digital systems and improving service quality. These steps established a more organized and sustainable work environment, ensuring the continued development of services across various sectors.
A report issued by the ministry revealed that direct and indirect damages and losses during 11 years of aggression and blockade exceeded $19.125 billion. Losses in the aviation sector alone, represented by the General Authority of Civil Aviation, amounted to $2.252 billion, including $507.509 million in damages to Sana'a Airport, including the value of the aircraft bombed while parked on the tarmac.
The report explained that damages and losses at Taiz International Airport and Saada Airport reached $991.676 million, while losses at Hodeidah Airport amounted to $731.160 million. Losses at Al-Bayda Airport were estimated at $33.550 million, noting that these figures are preliminary estimates subject to continuous updates according to international requirements.
The report, released in conjunction with the current Hajj season of 1447 AH, stated that the aggression deprived nearly 8,000 pilgrims, especially the elderly, from traveling to perform Hajj rituals through Sana'a International Airport, in addition to preventing expatriates from visiting their families inside the country.
The US-Saudi aggression deliberately targeted Yemenia Airways in an attempt to paralyze its humanitarian and air navigation services provided to the Yemeni people by bombing civilian aircraft at Sana'a International Airport, as well as the company's operational facilities and infrastructure.
The report reviewed damages and losses suffered by Yemenia Airways due to the aggression, totaling $2.881 billion, including $181.461 million resulting from the bombing of aircraft, facilities, and operational infrastructure, and $2.7 billion in company losses from the start of the aggression until 2022.
According to the report, total damages and losses suffered by the Yemen Red Sea Ports Corporation due to aerial bombardment amounted to $8.785 billion. The ports of Hodeidah, Salif, and Mokha were targeted, sustaining damages estimated at around $194.859 million, while losses caused by the blockade and arbitrary measures reached $3.306 billion.
The report pointed out that losses and damages to Hodeidah Port facilities, including the power station, reached $162.741 million, in addition to $5 billion in health and psychological losses and $121 million in environmental damages caused by oil pollution and other contaminants.
It further indicated that losses suffered by the General Authority for Maritime Affairs amounted to $4.823 billion, including $165.976 million resulting from the bombing of authority buildings in Hodeidah, Sana'a, Aden, and Mokha, and the targeting of the authority's equipment and assets, including the automatic vessel identification system, as well as damages to maritime lighthouses and losses due to halted maritime safety projects, including towing and maritime rescue services, and declining revenues from oil and gas export service stations.
Losses to the marine environment reached $4.657 billion due to attacks on oil storage facilities and fuel tanks, the sinking of some ships, and the dumping of waste by warships belonging to aggression countries, including toxic and hazardous materials, as well as the uprooting and destruction of coral reefs and other environmental damage.
Meanwhile, total damages and losses suffered by the General Authority for Land Transport Regulation amounted to $371.240 million as a result of the targeting of buildings, yards, and warehouses, the loss of transit fee revenues, and the destruction and burning of public transport buses, in addition to $42,500 in damages to the Local Land Transport Corporation in Sana'a and $1 million in losses due to the suspension of its activities.
The report stated that targeting and closing airports caused a major humanitarian catastrophe, resulting in 120,000 deaths due to the inability of patients to travel abroad for treatment, and 22,000 deaths due to shortages of medicines, medical supplies, and solutions, in addition to depriving 450,000 patients from traveling abroad for urgently needed medical treatment.
Despite all these heavy losses and systematic destruction, the Ministry of Transport and Public Works continued what it described as the 'battle of construction and development' with qualified national cadres to keep airports, ports, and roads operational, affirming that the will of peoples to live is stronger than the machinery of destruction.