Yemen Chamber of Shipping in Hodeidah, expressed deep concern over the US Treasury Department’s decision to impose sanctions on several Yemeni businessmen, most recently Mr. Ali Mohammed Mohsen Al-Hadi, head of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Sana’a.
In a statement, the Chamber stated that the decision lacks any clear legal foundation and sets a dangerous precedent targeting businessmen who play a crucial role in supporting the national economy and securing basic needs for citizens.
The Chamber condemned the sanctions, deeming them inconsistent with humanitarian and legal principles, and stressed the need to keep the economy neutral from political and punitive conflicts.
It highlighted that the Yemeni private sector, including Mr. Al-Hadi, has maintained neutrality since the conflict began, as per a declaration issued on March 31, 2016, which stressed the importance of not politicizing the economy.
Mr. Al-Hadi is a prominent economic figure who has worked to ensure the flow of basic food supplies into the local market during one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. His business activities have focused on securing essential goods like wheat, flour, sugar, and rice, with no political affiliations.
The Chamber warned that the sanctions would worsen the humanitarian crisis by disrupting the flow of vital food and logistical supplies, as over 90% of Yemen’s food and medical needs are imported and managed by Yemeni businessmen.
“Imposing sanctions on economic figures who play a vital role in securing basic goods not only poses a direct threat to Yemen’s food security but also constitutes a violation of international trade laws,” pointing out that such measures exacerbate the suffering of the Yemeni people, who are already living under the burden of a severe economic and humanitarian crisis,” the statement read.
It called on the US administration to reconsider the sanctions and remove Mr. Al-Hadi from the lists, demanding an end to targeting Yemen’s economic sector, which is critical for the survival of its citizens.
The Chamber urged the international community and human rights organizations to intervene to prevent the worsening of the humanitarian crisis and to protect the country’s food security.
In conclusion, the Chamber emphasized that economic solutions should be part of any political resolution to the Yemen crisis, not used as tools to further suffering, calling for respecting humanitarian principles and allowing businessmen to fulfill their role in securing the basic needs of the people, free from political interference and unjust punitive measures.
