Donkeys turn into prized asset as Yemen economy sags

Aden: Abu Mohammed fusses over the donkeys he is selling in war-torn Yemen, where the animal has become a must-have commodity at a time of biting fuel and currency crises.

Yemenis have resorted to using donkeys to transport water and goods, as the conflict that has ravaged the economy for more than five years leaves gas-guzzling SUVs out of reach for most.

"The higher the price of fuel and costs of living, the more demand there is for donkeys," said Mohammed, as he saddled up along a garbage-strewn road in the southern port city of Aden.

No part of Yemen has been spared the conflict, in which Iran-backed Huthi rebels have captured swathes of the north from the internationally-recognised government.

As Yemen sinks deeper into crisis, the UN estimates three quarters of its 29-million population is dependent on aid, in what it calls the worst humanitarian crisis on earth.

A litre (a quarter of a gallon) of petrol now sells for $0.50, in an oil-producing country where teachers earn less than $25 a month. Yemen's currency keeps depreciating - it is currently at over 800 riyals to the US dollar on the black market, compared to 610 riyals in January.

In Aden, built partly on a volcanic site called Crater, the use of donkeys was long the norm for the hilly coastal district before modern means of transport.

Now, in the 21st century, children on donkeys transporting heavy loads and jerrycans of water have once again become a common sight.

The 38-year-old father of nine, who looks far older than his years, turned to donkey trading two years ago after he lost his job. Business has since boomed.

But as queues at petrol stations stretch longer and demand for donkeys rises, the price of the animal is also going up.