World Bank Approves $50 Million to Continue Improving Critical Urban Services in Yemen
The World Bank Board of Directors today approved a $50 million grant from the International Development Association (IDA), the World Bank’s fund for the poorest countries, to support the Yemen Integrated Urban Services Emergency Project (YIUSEP). This additional financing is for restoring access to critical urban services and strengthening the resilience of selected cities in Yemen to external shocks.

Yemen’s cities have been very badly affected by six years of conflict, with the destruction of urban infrastructure widespread. In January 2020, damage in the 16 cities covered by the World Bank’s Yemen Dynamic Needs Assessment was estimated at between US$6.9 billion and US$8.5 billion. Among the 16, Sana’a has suffered the greatest damage, followed by Taiz. Aden and Hodeida have also been severely affected.

Major roads and bridges—and municipal roads in Sana’a, Aden, Ibb, Taiz, Hodeida, Sa’ada and Amran, among others—have been severely damaged. The damage to urban roads has rendered large segments inaccessible to people and vehicles, with negative impacts on trade, mobility, and access to local services like markets, health facilities, and schools. Through YIUSEP, 234 kilometers of urban roads in eight cities have been rehabilitated, and access to critical services has been restored for more than three million beneficiaries.