Minister of Planning and International Cooperation and Governor of Yemen to the World Bank Group, Dr. Afrah Al-Zouba, met today in Washington, D.C., with the leadership of the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to discuss strengthening public-private partnerships and advancing investment projects in Yemen’s electricity and energy sectors, on the sidelines of the 2026 World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund (IMF) Spring Meetings.

The meeting was attended by Minister of Electricity and Energy Eng. Adnan Al-Kaf and Deputy Minister of Electricity and Energy Eng. Abdullah Hajer, who joined virtually, as well as Deputy Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Dr. Nizar Basuhaib. The international delegation included Dina Abu-Ghaida, World Bank Country Director for Yemen, together with a senior team of IFC officials and technical experts.

Dr. Al-Zouba outlined the Yemeni government’s strategic transition from humanitarian assistance toward development-led recovery, emphasizing the critical role of the private sector in driving economic growth and creating employment opportunities for young people.

She highlighted the Council of Ministers’ approval of the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Policy, the establishment of a dedicated PPP Unit within the Office of the Prime Minister, and the government’s directive for sector ministries to identify flagship projects suitable for implementation through PPP arrangements in preparation for the upcoming Public-Private Partnership Dialogue.

For his part, Minister of Electricity and Energy Eng. Adnan Al-Kaf reviewed the current state of Yemen’s electricity sector, highlighting the significant gap between electricity demand and available generation capacity. He stressed the importance of early coordination with the Ministry of Electricity throughout all stages of energy project preparation to ensure successful implementation and maximize development outcomes.

The IFC team presented its ongoing and planned activities in Yemen’s electricity sector, including solar power generation projects, the development of bankable Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) to attract Independent Power Producers (IPPs), and new financial products designed to improve access to finance for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

At the conclusion of the meeting, Dr. Al-Zouba reaffirmed that the internationally recognized Central Bank of Yemen remains the country’s sole legitimate central banking institution. She stressed the importance of preserving this institutional framework in all engagement with international financial institutions as a key pillar of Yemen’s economic and financial stability.