PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Yemen: Ports (11 December 2018)

The port of Hodeidah is vital for Yemen. Together with the port of Al-Saleef it accounts for 80 per cent of all imports into Yemen, a country that relies on imports to meet 90 per cent of its basic needs such as food and fuel. There are no other ports in Yemen that can handle such volumes of imports.

The recent Houthi offensive has mainly affected the outskirts of the city of Hodeidah and has not damaged port infrastructure. However, it has reduced the availability of safe transit corridors and storage facilities for commercial and humanitarian goods leaving the port for major population centres in Yemen. Reduced levels of imports and damage to distribution networks has severely limited access to food and medicines for Yemeni citizens.

Only safe, rapid, and unhindered commercial and humanitarian access to the Red Sea ports of Hodeidah and Al-Saleef will ensure that millions of Yemenis in the north of the country receive the vital supplies of fuel, food, and medicine they desperately need.

The Government continues to raise concerns with the Saudi led-Coalition about the potential impact of any assault on the port and city of Hodeidah. We also continue to make clear that any military operations must be conducted in accordance with international humanitarian law, and not disrupt commercial and humanitarian flows.

Since 2016, the Government has been a strong supporter of the peace talks between the Government of Yemen and the Houthis; the first round concluded on 13 December 2018 with some significant progress including an agreement for the redeployment of forces away from the city and port of Hodeidah. If successful, this should help enable increased flows of vital humanitarian and commercial supplies to the Yemeni population.