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 a World Bank team to discuss ways to support the Government of Yemen’s efforts to strengthen local governance and enhance the relationship between the central government and local authorities.

During the meeting, held virtually, Minister of Local Administration Badr Salamah presented the government’s vision for strengthening cooperation between the central government and governorates, empowering local authorities to improve service delivery and promote local economic development, and preparations for an international conference scheduled for next June that will bring together key stakeholders.

Minister Salamah emphasized that empowering local authorities is a top priority for both the Presidential Leadership Council and the Government of Yemen. He explained that the Ministry is pursuing a phased approach that begins with strengthening the capacity of local authorities before piloting decentralization models in a limited number of governorates and gradually expanding them based on lessons learned and careful risk management.

He also stressed the importance of technical expertise and knowledge support from the World Bank and other international partners, inviting them to become strategic partners in advancing this priority reform agenda.

Dr. Al-Zouba described local governance reform as a cornerstone of Yemen’s recovery, stability, and long-term development. She stressed that empowering local authorities is an essential element of building a renewed social contract between the state and its citizens while strengthening the readiness and effectiveness of national institutions.

The Minister also emphasized the importance of close coordination among relevant ministries and called for local governance reform to be incorporated as a priority within both the forthcoming National Development Plan and the new Country Partnership Framework with the World Bank.

For its part, the World Bank team expressed its readiness to serve as the government’s strategic technical partner on the initiative. The team reviewed relevant international experiences that could inform Yemen’s reform process and reaffirmed the Bank’s commitment to supporting the government through analytical work and technical assistance.

On the sidelines of the 2026 World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund Spring Meetings, the two sides agreed to continue close coordination, establish a joint technical working group to oversee follow-up activities, and provide the technical support required in advance of the planned international conference, in coordination with other international partners engaged in the initiative.

The meeting was attended by Minister of Water and Environment Eng. Tawfiq Al-Sharjabi, Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of the Republic of Yemen in Washington Imad Bamataraf, Executive Director’s Advisor at the World Bank Dr. Jehan Abdulghaffar, and representatives of the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation.