When thinking about Yemen and Saudi Arabia most would not think about new airport projects. Surprisingly the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia today announced an ambitious new airport development project in Yemen that, when complete, will accommodate 2 million travelers a year.
The Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yemen(SDRPY) announced that the airport to be rebuilt is in the historic city of Marib, east of the capital Sanaa. Once complete, it will provide a critical infrastructure hub for the country and region. Whilst underway, it will create approximately 1,000 permanent jobs upon completion, 5,000 jobs during construction, and some 10,000 indirect jobs in ancillary sectors. The work is to be carried out by the same company that built and designed a Chicago airport.
Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Yemen, Mohammed Al Jaber, the director of SDRPY said, “This is an exciting project that gets to the heart of what Yemen needs right now in terms of employment and economic opportunities. Its proximity to the capital means it could also revive the efforts to join the regions of al-Jawf, Shabwah and Hadramaut. This essential work, and many projects like it, can’t wait – the people of Yemen need it now, even as we tirelessly strive for a political solution to the conflict.”
SDRPY is also working on the following projects across the country: King Salman Educational and Medical City, Seiyun Hospital, al-Ghaydah Schools, al-Ghaydah Water Project, well-drilling project, two power stations in Socotra, a kidney dialysis centre, petroleum derivatives project, residential complex project, border posts, national security and a counterterrorism centre. Saudi Arabia provided $2 billion in monetary aid to Yemen’s central bank to help bolster the country’s currency only a few months ago.
