Main roads reopen in Yemen as peace process makes headway

Some of Yemen's most vital roads have recently reopened as the country's stalled peace process gradually resumes, driven by a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and a cooling regional situation.

Since the outbreak of Yemen's civil war in 2015, many sections and bridges of the country's main north-south transportation arteries have been destroyed during fighting.

Military checkpoints have been established on the remaining routes, leading to prolonged road closures.

This has forced Yemeni citizens to take circuitous routes through mountains and deserts to travel between the north and south of the country.

The reopened routes include the main north-south artery connecting the capital Sanaa and Aden, as well as sections linking Taiz, Dhale, and Hodeidah provinces.

Many residents said that the reopened roads have greatly facilitated travel, saving both time and money.

"Before the roads opened, the city was virtually paralyzed. After reopening, life begins returning to normal. Commercial activities have resumed, and it's become much easier and cheaper for merchants and patients to travel between regions or provinces. Life is gradually getting back on track," said Mohammed Al-Muraisi, a resident of Dhale Province.

Analysts say this has spurred economic recovery in both northern and southern regions.

Particularly amid the ongoing stark humanitarian crisis, the road opening will greatly facilitate the transport and distribution of essential supplies.

They further note that the continued implementation of the peace roadmap, including the road opening, will serve as a crucial indicator of all Yemeni parties' commitment to peace.

"I see the opening of ports, crossings, and roads as real signs of progress to move closer to the peace process. It was also preceded by the cessation of military operations and the laying down of arms on all fronts. These are all signs that confirm or lead to the conclusion that Yemenis are close to reaching a peace agreement; only the details related to the peace process and the timing remain to be worked out," said Mohammed Shamsan, a political analyst.

Main roads reopen in Yemen as peace process makes headway

Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Thursday presided over a State Council executive meeting that studied work on building a unified national market and reviewed and approved a plan for the development of a modern emergency response system during the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030).

Noting that building a unified national market is essential to advancing high-quality development, the meeting called for deepening institutional frameworks in areas such as property rights protection, market access, fair competition, social credit and market exit mechanisms.

The meeting also urged efforts to advance high-standard connectivity of market infrastructure to facilitate smooth economic circulation and effectively reduce logistics costs across society.

Emergency management is critical to protecting people's lives and property, the meeting said. It called for accelerating the development of a modern emergency response system, deepening reform and innovation in emergency management, and improving coordinated response mechanisms.

Efforts should be made to strengthen risk prevention at the source, enhance monitoring, forecasting and early warning, and accelerate a shift in governance toward proactive prevention, according to the meeting.

A draft revision of the Law on the People's Bank of China was also discussed and approved in principle at the meeting, which decided to submit the draft to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress for deliberation.

Chinese premier chairs State Council executive meeting