World Bank: Small and medium-sized companies most affected by the war in Yemen

English - Tuesday 19 November 2019 الساعة 03:24 pm
Aden – NewsYemen.net


Yemen's private sector companies have been heavily affected by the country's nearly five-year war and a lack of services, the World Bank said, but small and medium-sized companies are the most affected.

The World Bank report added, "Great efforts to strengthen resilience and continue hope in Yemen." The war has caused total or partial destruction of vital infrastructure and public services, on which communities depend for their survival.

The protracted war has transformed millions of Yemenis 'lives into a nightmare, torn communities and displaced tens of thousands of families, with citizens' resilience at a loss with most of them without a steady source of income, rising food prices, and scarcity of jobs.
The World Bank report said the war was concentrated in or around major cities, and its impact on urban areas was catastrophic, with about 15 million people bearing the brunt.  The local councils are completely shut down, and public services are not available, with no potable water, no electricity for homes and businesses, and no health services to vaccinate children or provide treatment.

The World Bank noted that IDA, a World Bank Group institution, is working with local institutions and the United Nations Office through the Integrated Urban Services Emergency Project, which began in November 2017, to help Yemenis live in this challenging and volatile environment, to resume vital urban services.  In the cities most affected by the conflict.


The World Bank explained that over the past two years, emergency project interventions have had a positive impact on citizens' lives and livelihoods by improving municipal services, solid waste management, urban water and sanitation networks, as well as by paving streets, maintaining roads, and providing the necessary energy for key services such as hospitals and schools.

According to a World Bank report released on Monday (November 18th), the Emergency Recovery Services Project allowed the completion of repair of 134 kilometers of inland roads in three cities and the support of 11,350 MW of solar electricity for some hospitals, schools and water facilities.

In the waste management sector, more than 600,000 tons of solid waste were collected and disposed of in Aden, Mukalla and Sana'a, and the water and sanitation network was rehabilitated in some cities, where more than 635,000 people had access to clean water and safe sanitation.