Sana'a: Yemen joins the world in celebrating the 56th anniversary of World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD), which this year focuses on enhancing global communication, strengthening international cooperation, and bridging the digital divide-despite the ongoing aggression against the country for over a decade, which has severely impacted all aspects of social, political, economic, and developmental life.
According to Yemen News Agency, the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) issued a statement on the occasion of WTISD, highlighting the destruction of more than 35% of the country's telecommunications and IT infrastructure through over 2,770 airstrikes. This has cut off more than 120 Yemeni villages and cities from the world. The ministry emphasized that the suffering of Yemen's telecommunications sector continues due to the harsh conditions caused by the aggression and blockade, severely hindering technological progress and depriving the sector of fully utilizing its capabilities.
Despite these challenges, the statement affirmed that Yemen's telecommunications sector is striving with its limited resources to keep pace with global advancements in communications and IT. The ministry reiterated its commitment to continuing efforts, in cooperation with international and regional partners, to bridge the digital gap and improve access to communications, internet, and digital services as a fundamental right for all. These services are vital for all state and business sectors.
The telecommunications sector has achieved significant milestones through exceptional efforts, enabling it to sustain services for citizens across all regions of Yemen. The ministry highlighted ongoing work to enhance fixed and mobile internet services, expand 4G networks and broadband coverage, and adopt cloud computing technologies-steps that contribute to localizing technology, expanding its reach, and enabling Yemeni society to benefit from digital platforms, smart applications, and digital equality.
The MCIT renewed its call to the United Nations, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), and all humanitarian and international organizations to uphold their moral and humanitarian responsibilities regarding the decade-long destruction of Yemen's telecommunications infrastructure. It urged the international community to address the suffering of the Yemeni people as a pressing humanitarian issue, demanding an end to all forms of war and violations against telecommunications and internet infrastructure.
The ministry also called for pressure on aggressor states to permit the installation of Yemeni-owned submarine cable branches and landing stations in Hodeida province, ensuring their operation. It demanded the aggression coalition neutralize civilian telecommunications services and facilities, guarantee the protection of telecommunications workers, and reject attempts to fragment or destroy Yemen's professional telecommunications institutions and services.
The MCIT held the aggression coalition legally and morally accountable for its military and economic crimes against Yemen's telecommunications infrastructure and their catastrophic humanitarian consequences. It further urged the international community, the ITU, and human rights organizations to fulfill their duties in safeguarding the basic rights of millions of civilians by ensuring uninterrupted access to telecommunications services, warning against ignoring this and previous appeals.