Yemen: Fuel Imports through Hodeidah Increased during Truce Compared to Last Year

Yemen's Hodeidah port. EPA file photo
Yemen's Hodeidah port. EPA file photo
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Yemen: Fuel Imports through Hodeidah Increased during Truce Compared to Last Year

Yemen's Hodeidah port. EPA file photo
Yemen's Hodeidah port. EPA file photo

A World Food Program on Yemen food security update has said that fuel imports through Hodeidah port that falls under Houthi militia control significantly increased - in the first three months of the announced truce - compared to the previous year.

This came at a time when the Yemeni government announced that the cost of fuel imports has increased to 2 billion dollars in the first half of the year compared with last year’s costs.

The government stressed the importance of doubling food assistance to millions of people in Yemen because of a food shortage caused by the war in Ukraine.

Meanwhile, the WFP expects 19 million people, 60 percent of Yemen’s population, to suffer from food insecurity in the second half of 2022.

It is estimated that 161,000 are living in famine-like conditions with the exacerbation of limited access to food.



Baghdad: Syria Did Not Request Security Guarantees for Summit Attendance

The Coordination Framework reaffirmed its support for the success of the Arab Summit in Baghdad (X)
The Coordination Framework reaffirmed its support for the success of the Arab Summit in Baghdad (X)
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Baghdad: Syria Did Not Request Security Guarantees for Summit Attendance

The Coordination Framework reaffirmed its support for the success of the Arab Summit in Baghdad (X)
The Coordination Framework reaffirmed its support for the success of the Arab Summit in Baghdad (X)

Baghdad confirmed that Syrian authorities did not request any security guarantees for President Ahmad Al-Sharaa to attend the upcoming Arab League Summit. Despite ongoing debate over Syria’s participation, Iraq’s Coordination Framework reiterated its support for the summit’s success.

Baghdad will host the 34th Arab League Summit on May 17. While there has been speculation about Syria’s involvement, Iraqi Interior Minister Abdul Amir Al-Shammari stated that no official requests or communication were received from Damascus regarding security arrangements for Al-Sharaa. He emphasized that preparations to secure all delegations, including the Syrian president, are complete, and that the summit will proceed without road closures or curfews.

On border security, Al-Shammari noted that the situation is stable, though parts of the Iraqi-Syrian border are under the control of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). He added that Iraq has increased its military presence near the Al-Qaim border crossing, where no Syrian forces are present, and that there is currently no direct security coordination between the two countries’ interior ministries.

Politically, the Coordination Framework — a coalition of Shiite political forces — issued a unified statement supporting the summit, stressing the need to prioritize national interests amid regional challenges. The group praised efforts to elevate Iraq’s regional role through the successful hosting of the event.

Meanwhile, prominent Shiite leader Ammar Al-Hakim called for engagement with Syria’s new leadership, citing Iraq’s strategic interests. Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ Al-Sudani echoed this sentiment, stating in a recent interview that Iraq aims not just to host, but to lead in offering solutions to Middle Eastern crises.

Analysts suggest that Iraq’s outreach to Syria has stirred internal political tensions, potentially reshaping alliances ahead of the national elections scheduled for November 2025.