In an act of economic and
humanitarian escalation and dangerous market manipulation, the Houthis have
created a fuel shortage with the goal of increasing flow through the black
market that they control. This will only cause further deterioration of the
humanitarian situation, which the Houthis want to use for political point
scoring and to gain the sympathy of the international community to pressure for
the cancellation of Government Decree No. 75, which curbs illegal trade in fuel in Yemen.
The Houthis are responsible for the fuel crisis and
the rising prices because the amount of fuel that went into the areas that they
control during the previous period in 2019 is more than is needed until
mid-May. There are no legal shipments that were not granted a permit to be
imported, and fuel distributors are prepared to provide fuel as long as the
Houthis do not interfere.