UN says war has set back Yemen’s development by 20 years

SANAA, Yemen (AP) - A U.N.-commissioned report says the war in Yemen has set back its development by more than 20 years.

The study commissioned by the U.N. Development Program found that if the war ends this year, it will have caused economic losses of $88.8 billion. If the conflict lasts until 2030, it would leave 71 percent of the population in extreme poverty, 84 percent malnourished and cause economic losses of $657 billion.

The UNDP’s Yemen representative, Auke Lootsma, says that “even if there were to be peace tomorrow, it could take decades for Yemen to return to pre-conflict levels of development.”

A Saudi-led coalition has been battling Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi rebels since 2015. The conflict has killed tens of thousands of people and driven the country to the brink of famine.