Minister of Planning and International Cooperation, Dr. Afrah Al-Zouba, met today with the United Kingdom’s Ambassador to Yemen, Abda Sharif, to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation and deepen the development and institutional partnership in support of the government’s reform agenda and economic recovery efforts.

The meeting reviewed progress on the institutional assessment of the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation, which is being conducted with UK support, and explored how its findings can be used to strengthen the Ministry’s role as the government’s central coordinating body for international cooperation.

The two sides also discussed mechanisms to improve coordination among development partners, enhance the efficiency of implementing current and future programmes and projects, and address the challenges affecting their delivery.

Dr. Al-Zouba expressed the Yemeni government’s appreciation for the United Kingdom’s continued support, including assistance for institutional and public financial management reforms, capacity building for state institutions, contributions to the Yemen Trust Fund at the World Bank, and support for humanitarian and development programmes in key sectors such as health, water, governance, the rule of law, and the empowerment of women and youth.

The Minister also reviewed the outcomes of her recent meetings with a number of international development partners, emphasizing the importance of strengthening coordination and complementarity among partners during the next phase to ensure more effective and sustainable development results on the ground.

For her part, Ambassador Sharif reaffirmed the United Kingdom’s commitment to continuing its support for Yemen and assisting the government in implementing its reform agenda and advancing economic recovery, with the aim of promoting stability and improving the living conditions of the Yemeni people.

The two sides agreed on the importance of maintaining regular coordination and consultations to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of development programmes, ensure their alignment with the government’s priorities, and maximize their contribution to Yemen’s sustainable development objectives.