Amidst the currency fluctuations and the aspirations of the people of Aden, has economic reform been achieved?

Written by\ Ali Saigali
SMA NEWS – ADEN THE CAPITAL
Amid the successive crises facing Yemen, Aden remains a mirror reflecting the country’s political, economic, and social situation. Recently, the Yemeni riyal saw a slight appreciation against foreign currencies, after years of rapid depreciation. However, the question that preoccupies people in Aden is: Has this improvement in the currency translated into a better standard of living? Or is it merely a temporary improvement in economic indicators with no tangible impact?
It is true that the currency is rising and prices are moving timidly, but from an economic perspective, the improvement of the local currency should lead to lower prices, especially in a market that relies heavily on imports.
In fact, markets in Aden have witnessed a slight improvement in prices, thanks to the diligent monitoring carried out by the Ministry of Industry and Trade, in cooperation with the directors of the directorates and police forces, and in collaboration with community committees, who have intensified their inspection campaigns against traders and price manipulators. However, this improvement is still far less than expected and does not match the alarming decline in the exchange rate of the dollar and the Saudi riyal.
Many citizens complain that prices remain high relative to incomes, given the failure to address citizens’ salaries. This fuels suspicions that the market is not fully regulated and that speculators and monopolists still control people’s livelihoods.
The people of Aden are in a state of anticipation. Some express a timid hope that these developments signal the beginning of an economic recovery, but most view what is happening as a mere “temporary truce” or a “calming dose” dispensed by the state to absorb the anger of the street, nothing more.
The lack of political stability, the government’s inconsistent positions, and the lack of transparency in explaining economic plans are all factors that prompt people to question the effectiveness of these measures and consider them insufficient to address the deep-rooted crises.
The government is talking about a package of financial and monetary reforms, including strengthening banking oversight, controlling spending, and improving the performance of the Central Bank. There are indications of a partial improvement in public revenues and a reduction in currency printing. They circled the phrase “reducing currency printing” in red. But on the ground, these measures are still far from having a direct impact on citizens’ lives.
With each step, people ask a simple question:
“Has anything changed in our salaries, electricity bills, or the prices of basic goods?”
Unfortunately, to date, there is still a large gap between government rhetoric and citizen aspirations, making public satisfaction with the state’s performance limited and conditional on tangible results.
Aden needs not only a stable exchange rate or a decline in prices, but also fair and sustainable economic policies that address the roots of the crisis, not just its symptoms. What is required is continuous and effective oversight of the markets, not tied to seasonal campaigns, or to excesses and convoys of attacks on grocery stores and small traders.
What is required is transparency in explaining government plans and procedures to the public.
Involving citizens in the reform process by improving basic services.
Ensuring that corruption and speculation, which were the cause of the economic collapse in the past, do not return.
Aden is a resilient but exhausting city. It’s not enough for the government to say it has accomplished something; citizens must feel that their lives are actually beginning to improve.
If positive economic indicators do not translate into tangible improvements in people’s lives and incomes, they will remain mere numbers that mean nothing in the face of endless daily suffering.