About UNDP in Yemen

Shibam Hadhramout Skyscraper in South of Yemen

Our offices were established in both former the Yemen Arab Republic (YAR) and the People´s Democratic Republic of Yemen (PDRY) in 1966 and 1967 respectively. The two offices were amalgamated upon the reunification of the two parts of Yemen on 22 May 1990.

UNDP as an organization was able to help the Government of Yemen and its people, prior and after reunification, to address development needs. UNDP has notable and recognized contributions in many development sectors such as, agriculture, telecommunication, metrology, standardization and quality control, civil aviation, postal, water resources management, environment protection, microfinance, community-based development, information technology, statistical management, HIV/AIDS, local governance and decentralization, elections, improve business doing environment, and many others.

This has also resulted in establishment of institutions such as Al-Koud Agriculture Research Center, Tihama Development Authority, Agriculture Research Center (Dhamar), Telecommunication Training Institute, Community-based Protected Areas, Micro-finance Institutes, etc.

To respond to the challenging context in Yemen, two sub-offices are being set up in critical geographical areas, Aden and Sa’adah to significantly improve UNDP's performance and delivery.

UNDP Yemen New vision

As Yemen enters into the most critical phase of the Transition (2012-2014), marked by a series of overlapped processes to be achieved in just 12 months, our vision is to play a leading role specifically during 2012-2014 in addressing urgent tasks and action of the Government Transitional Program for Stabilization and Development (2012-2014) as a result of a Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) agreement that was signed in November 2011 by Yemeni political figures to save Yemen from falling under civil strife trap.

In this challenging context, UNDP-Yemen is deepening the alignment process initiated in 2011 under the “Joint UN Vision in support to the Transition: A Framework for action”.

UNDP continues performing as leading agency in the area of elections, governance reforms that will emerge from the national and political dialogue, as well as livelihood interventions and employment generation as well as empowerment of local governance.

While UNDP support is channeled towards Government Transitional Program for Stabilization and Development , it is closely linked to the longer term requirements in order to support Government of Yemen efforts to improve some of the indicators of the MDGs by 2015.

UNDP is also undertaking three important assessments/studies that will greatly influence policy and programme development in the post-transition process:

1. Policy option paper on local governance structures;
2. A comprehensive sustainable livelihood assessment; and
3. Formal and informal governance assessment, expected to capture prevailing understanding of power dynamics in Yemen.

UN RESIDENT COORDINATOR AND UNDP RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVE, MINISTER OF PLANNING AND INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION AND HEAD OF SUPREME COMMISSION FOR ELECTIONS & REFERENDUM

Throughout the years, UNDP has built a strong partnership with the government of Yemen (GoY), represented by the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation, development partners, civil society organizations and private sector.

UNDP and GoY launched several developmental projects and programmes to address the challenges of the country and improve the working environment in Yemen.

In addition, UNDP worked closely with several ministries, non-governmental organizations, and civil society organizations, private sector under the leadership of the UNDP Resident Representative and the mentioned bodies. National ownership was always encouraged and maintained in all UNDP's initiatives.

In 2012, UNDP Yemen conducted an unprecedented alignment of its resources and capacities to the priorities of the transition. This transformation resulted in the establishment of the first Multi-partner Basket Fund for Elections during transitional period as well as the Emergency Capacity Development Facility to support high level GoY institutions to manage the GCC initiative and its implementation mechanism.

Furthermore, it fostered partnership with key donors in supporting the Government to undertake the early Presidential elections that was peacefully  carried out on 21 February 2012 with unprecedented turnout of 65% compared to the previous elections.

UNDP and the UN system in Yemen have been an effective partner and player in strategically positioning of the Government on the international scene through the preparation of the Transitional Program for Stabilization and Development, a series of aid instruments, two Friends of Yemen meetings and a Donor Conference, which resulted in the pledging over US $8 billion.

The Riyadh conference, followed by the Friends of Yemen meeting held in New York and London are evidence of the support of the international community to Yemen.

UNDP Yemen succeed in formulating strategic projects to support the transitional plan in the areas of national dialogue, human rights, transitional justice, youth observatory and youth empowerment, and employment generation.

The Resident Coordinator heads the UN System in Yemen and is the Resident Representative for UNDP in Yemen. UNDP’s Country Director is responsible for the day-to-day operations of UNDP Yemen. Our Country Director is assisted by a Deputy Director for Operations.