Yemen: The ‘most destructive conflict’ since Cold War
For years the devastating Yemen war has been described by the United Nations [UN] as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, but a new report now confirms
For years the devastating Yemen war has been described by the United Nations [UN] as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, but a new report now confirms it is also the most destructive conflict since the Cold War.
The UNDP report sheds light on the humanitarian and economic impact of the conflict, which has set the region’s already poorest nation back at least 21 years.
Shocking statistics showed that Yemen ranked 153 on the Human Development Index, 138 in extreme poverty, 147 in life expectancy, 172 in educational attainment and was already on the World Bank’s low-middle income category, according to the report.
“Human development has not just been interrupted. It has been reversed,” asserted UNDP Yemen Resident Representative, Auke Lootsma.
“Even if there were to be peace tomorrow, it could take decades for Yemen to return to pre-conflict levels of development. This is a big loss for the people of Yemen.”
The report showed Yemen’s loss of economic output will increase to $181 billion in 2022 from $89 billion in 2019, depending on when the conflict ends.
More than four years into the Saudi-Emirati war on the Houthi rebels in Yemen, recent figures by ACLED suggest that more than 70,000 have been killed since the coalition intervened to reinstate the government following the rebels’ takeover of the capital.
