Electricity crisis sparks more protests in southern Yemen

As of Thursday, Aden’s power stations had been completely inoperative for more than 30 hours.

By THE MEDIA LINE STAFF FEBRUARY 9, 2025 09:04

A youth stands in front tyres set alight to protest against living condition in Aden. February 6, 2025. (photo credit: SALEH AL-OBEIDI/AFP via Getty Images)

Mass protests broke out again on Thursday in the southern Yemeni district of Aden over the ongoing issue of power outages in the city. Local media reported protesters blocking off traffic on multiple streets and setting tires ablaze.

The protest followed an announcement by the Aden Electricity Corporation on Tuesday night that the city’s electricity would be totally shut down due to lack of fuel. As of Thursday, Aden’s power stations had been completely inoperative for more than 30 hours.

Aden, the interim capital of Yemen’s internationally recognized government, has grappled with an electricity crisis for years. Even before the Yemeni civil war broke out in 2014, a minority of households in Yemen had consistent access to electricity, and the war has only exacerbated the problem. Since 2015, access in Aden to basic services like water, electricity, sanitation, and health care has deteriorated, and protests following long periods without such services are common.

Addressing electricity crisis

On Thursday, Yemen’s prime minister, Ahmed Awad Bin Mubarak, released a statement to the country’s state-run Saba News Agency that he was directing government officials to address the electricity crisis. He called the total energy outage “unacceptable” and said that those responsible for the situation would be held accountable.

A driver fills up his van as Yemenis face dire living condition in Aden on February 6, 2025. (credit: SALEH AL-OBEIDI/AFP via Getty Images)

The prime minister committed to finding an interim solution for the outrage as well as carrying out comprehensive reforms to address the root cause.