UNOPS Yemen: Building Resilience to Climate Change in Yemen – One Road At a Time

In Yemen, heavy rainfalls and other extreme weather events have devastating consequences for both urban and rural communities. Climate-resilient roads offer a lifeline.

Yemen, already grappling with a devastating humanitarian crisis and conflict, is further burdened by the impacts of climate change. The country's semi-arid climate, coupled with extreme weather events, has exacerbated existing vulnerabilities.

Developing sustainable, climate-resilient infrastructure that can withstand future shocks and stresses is essential for addressing the immense needs of communities across Yemen. Through two projects funded by the World Bank’s International Development Association, UNOPS is responding to the pressing challenges of increasingly extreme weather events caused by climate change in both rural and urban Yemen.

In rural Yemen, poverty, limited resources and the impacts of climate change have created a harsh reality for Yemenis. Many, reliant on agriculture for their livelihoods and food source, are increasingly vulnerable to the effects of climate change, including water scarcity, unpredictable rainfall patterns and soil erosion.

Simultaneously, when floods occur, rural communities can be cut off from essential services. A lack of all weather roads makes it difficult for farmers to transport their products to markets. This combination has led to severe food insecurity.

To help, the ‘Yemen emergency lifeline connectivity project’ is building climate resilience through improved road infrastructure and providing employment opportunities to residents.

Components of the project aim to rehabilitate and upgrade 150 kilometres of rural access roads, construct two modular bridges at strategic locations and support the maintenance of 60 kilometres of village access roads and 150 kilometres of rural access roads. The enhanced infrastructure will help improve transportation connectivity, ensuring safe and reliable access to markets, social services and essential services for rural communities.

By upgrading road surfaces, improving drainage and utilizing climate-friendly materials, the project seeks to create a road network that can withstand the impacts of climate change. Additionally, slope stabilization techniques are used to prevent erosion and protect the roads from landslides, further strengthening the resilience of the rural infrastructure.

The updated roads not only offer hope to residents, but also provide users with a greater sense of reliability.

“I have a motorcycle. The motorcycle is my source of income. I used to constantly get it repaired due to bumps and potholes on the road. But after the road was paved, things have improved a lot” says Fayez Ahmed, resident of Al-Makhader, Ibb governorate.
 

“The road has made it easy for us to access goods that we were unable to get before. Now, all our needs are being fulfilled. We call the paved road the ‘black gold’. Our suffering has ended,” he added.

To further enhance sustainability, the works are being implemented by more than 40 local companies and training has helped build capacity and transfer knowledge. So far, about 456,000 jobs have been created, including 39,000 jobs for women.

In urban Yemen, the destruction of urban infrastructure due to war has deprived people in cities of access to safe water, sanitation and other essential services. When heavy rains lead to flooding, the already damaged infrastructure is further compromised, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis.
 

Since 2017, the ‘Yemen integrated urban services emergency project (YIUSEP)’ has rehabilitated approximately 450 kilometres of urban roads, paved about 78,300 square metres of roads and improved drainage systems across fourteen cities, aiming to restore accessibility, enhance mobility and support essential services. 

The project’s climate-resilient design approach ultimately contributes to community resilience and recovery for more than 10.3 million people.

In the city of Taiz, UNOPS is implementing five sub-projects under YIUSEP to rehabilitate 22 kilometres of vital roads, benefiting over 250,000 people. These roads improve access to essential services and connect Taiz with other cities to the north and south. This enhanced connectivity facilitates a smoother flow of goods and supplies, particularly from the southern port city of Aden.

“The area was deprived of many services, because there was no road; it was just a floodway. Cars couldn't enter the area, especially during the rainy season,” says Hamza Al-Sharabi, a community leader in Taiz.

“Previously, it was difficult to commute because of the potholes, and the journey took longer. It used to take me 15 minutes to get to school, but now it only takes 5 minutes,” says Zeinab Al-Shuraabi, a school teacher from Taiz. “Sometimes we were late because we couldn't find a bus, or the bus would break down on the way, and we would have to walk to school.”

In Amran, the construction of climate-resilient roads, culverts and retaining walls has significantly reduced the risk of flooding. Previously, flooding in the area would severely restrict the movement of people and goods.

The resilient infrastructure is designed to withstand extreme weather, ensuring the city remains functional and improving the safety and well-being of its residents.
 

"We, our children and women, used to face many challenges in crossing the street and accessing our homes. The floods caused significant damage to the streets and houses, obstructing safe passage," says Mohammed Hobaish, a resident from Amran city. 

"The construction of the road drainage box culvert has facilitated the access to our schools and homes and shortened the distance," he adds.

Together, these projects are vital steps towards a more climate-resilient Yemen. By strengthening critical infrastructure and bolstering local economies, communities are better equipped to withstand future climate-related challenges and build a more sustainable future.