Amman, Jordan - In its two day meeting from January 17 to 18 in the Jordanian Capital, Amman, the Economic Reform Team (ERT) has deliberately considered the accelerated deterioration in the humanitarian and livelihood conditions for Yemeni people and cautioned of a famine that would affect eight million Yemenis, let alone 11 Million Yemeni children in need for urgent humanitarian relief according to a UNICEF report.
The ERT expressed its sorrows for the absent role of the Yemeni Central Bank in directing the monetary policy which led to the depreciation in the Yemeni Real exchange rate and thereby increased food and medicine prices.
The Team also considered the difficulties and challenges that the private sector faces while importing the basic goods and commodities such as lengthy clearance processes, high insurance rates, delays in offloading and handling processes in seaports, in addition to obstacles, difficulties and high cost in transporting and distributing goods among Yemen’s provinces.
The Team has called upon all relevant entities to facilitate the inflow of basic goods and commodities through seaports, border crossings and airports as well as among the provinces, and not burdening the Yemeni people with excessive tolls that negatively affect Millions of people’s lives.
As the Yemeni private sector emphasizes to all that it consistently assumes its responsibilities before society in providing services, relief and basic goods and commodities despite challenges and hazards, it also calls upon the combating parties to spare the private sector of this conflict and set an end for the humanitarian crisis in Yemen.
In conclusion of its meetings in Amman, the ERT holds all of the local, regional and international parties morally and legally accountable for the worsening of the Yemeni people’s suffering and calls upon them to urgently set the solutions that would end the humanitarian crisis witnessed in Yemen.
The ERT involves leaders of the private sector in Yemen who represent several industrial, commercial, banking and service sectors. It was established through a voluntary initiative from the private sector leaders, Civil Society Organizations and academics in March 2012. It aims to enable the private sector to effectively and jointly participate in decision making and set strategies to enhance the economic reforms and spur economic growth in Yemen.