Today, the Republic of Yemen is participating with variouscountries of the world in celebrating the fifty-sixth anniversary of the WorldTelecommunication and Information Society Day, which comes this year under theslogan “Promoting Digital Gender Equality”, and highlights improving globalcommunication, enhancing international cooperation and reducing the digitaldivide - despite the circumstances it is going through as a result of theongoing aggression against the country in all aspects of social, political,economic and developmental life, for more than ten years, during which thecountries of aggression against Yemen have destroyed more than 35% of theinfrastructure of the telecommunications and information technology sector,with more than (2770) air raids, which caused the isolation of more than 120Yemeni villages and cities from the world.
We, at the Ministry of Telecommunications and InformationTechnology, emphasize that the suffering of the Yemeni telecommunications andinformation technology sector continues to this day due to the difficultcircumstances resulting from the aggression and blockade, which havesignificantly slowed the pace of technological progress and deprived the sectorfrom benefiting from its full capabilities and potential. This is due to thesystematic destruction of the infrastructure through the direct targeting of telecommunicationsfacilities and stations spread across various regions of the country, inaddition to the ongoing blockade and the ban imposed on the entry of telecommunicationsequipment used for civilian purposes, as well as depriving us of benefitingfrom the large investments in submarine cables and the unjust violation of ourrights in various fields.
Despite all the challenges facing the Republic of Yemen, we in the telecommunicationsand information technology sector strive with all our limited energies andcapabilities, to keep pace with the global trend in telecommunications andinformation technology by working to reduce the digital divide, which is abarrier to achieving digital equality between Gender and contributes to weakenglobal telecommunication and international cooperation.
We also affirm our commitment to continuing our efforts andendeavors, in cooperation with international and regional partners, to bridgethe digital divide and improve access to telecommunications, the internet, anddigital services, as a right guaranteed to all, based on our awareness of theimportance of these services, on which all government and business sectorsrely.
It is worth noting that the achievements made by the Yemeni ICTsector, by its exceptional efforts and high costs, have enabled the sector inrecent years to withstand and continue providing services to all citizensacross the country without exception. We also seek to improve the level offixed and mobile internet services, deploy 4G and broadband networks, and adoptcloud computing technologies. This will contribute to the localization oftechnology and expand its spread, enabling Yemeni society to benefit from itand access various services via digital platforms and smart applications, thuscontributing to promoting digital equality between gender.
We, at the Ministry of Telecommunications and InformationTechnology of the Republic of Yemen, renew our call to the United Nations, theInternational Telecommunication Union, and all humanitarian and internationalorganizations to fulfill their humanitarian and moral responsibilitiesregarding the damage to the communications and information technologyinfrastructure in Yemen for more than ten years. We renew our demand for thefollowing:
First: Standing up to the suffering ofthe Yemeni people as a just humanitarian cause, first and foremost, and workingdiligently to stop all forms of war and violations against the infrastructureof the telecommunications and internet network and its civilian facilities,ending the blockade imposed on telecommunications equipment, supplies, andsystems for civilian use, and facilitating their entry into Yemen, thuscontributing to alleviating the suffering of the Yemeni people.
Second: Work urgently to end the blockadeand provide access to the technical equipment and spare parts needed toreactivate destroyed telecommunications and information technology sites andtowers. This will restore services to residents of affected areas and cities,ensuring a reduction in the digital divide in the Republic of Yemen andachieving digital gender equality.
Third: Immediate intervention and puttingpressure on the aggressor countries to facilitate the installation of the 5MWSand Africa-1 submarine cable branches and landing stations in Al HudaydahGovernorate, owned by Yemen Telecommunications, and to ensure their operation.
Fourth: Compel the aggression coalition to neutralize civilian telecommunicationsservices and facilities, work to ensure the protection of individuals workingin the telecommunications sector, and confront attempts to fragment and destroytelecommunications institutions, companies, and services in Yemen and theirprofessionalism.
Fifth: We, at the Ministry of Telecommunicationsand Information Technology, affirm that the countries of the aggressioncoalition bear legal and moral responsibility for their military and economiccrimes against the telecommunications and information technology infrastructureand the resulting catastrophic consequences that have affected various aspectsof life.
Sixth: The Ministry of Telecommunicationsand Information Technology renews its call to the international community, theInternational Telecommunication Union, and UN, human rights, and humanitarianorganizations to fulfill their duties to ensure the maintenance of minimumlevels of human rights for millions of civilians by ensuring continued accessto and operation of telecommunications services. We hold them responsible forignoring this and other repeated calls.
God is the giver of success…
Issued by theMinistry of Telecommunications and Information Technology - Republic of Yemen
Sana'a -Saturday - May 17, 2025