Why Mokha, Historic Port That Shaped the Coffee Trade, Is a Prize in Yemen’s War

A strategic location on the Red Sea afforded the city centuries of trading dominance — and makes it a coveted target in today’s fighting in the Middle East. Long before it was captured by Houthi forces this week in Yemen’s civil war, the centuries-old Red Sea port of Mokha was famed as one of the original gateways of the global coffee trade. At its height, from the 16th to 18th centuries, the city was a wealthy hub of merchants and coffee houses in a region that oversaw a monopoly on the world’s coffee bean supply for more than a hundred years. That legacy stretches into modern coffee culture, with the city giving its name to coffee beans, specialty products and the mocha, a chocolate and espresso drink. Some of the traits that allowed Mokha to dominate the coffee trade centuries ago have also made it a strategic — and coveted — prize in the current conflict in Yemen.

Missing media or need the complete publisher report? Open New York Times World ↗