Minister of Planning and International Cooperation, Dr. Afrah Al-Zouba, met today in the temporary capital, Aden, with the Ambassador of Germany to Yemen, Thomas Schneider, to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation and explore prospects for continued development assistance to Yemen amid the country’s ongoing economic and humanitarian challenges.

Dr. Al-Zouba emphasized the importance of sustaining German support for Yemen’s priority sectors. She reviewed the outcomes of Yemen’s recent participation in the World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund (IMF) Spring Meetings in Washington, highlighting discussions on financing and programmes to support Yemen, particularly in the areas of fisheries, nutrition, water, health, roads, and institutional capacity building.

The Minister also referred to the IMF Article IV Consultations, noting that they include a comprehensive review of Yemen’s economic policies and reforms aimed at improving the business environment and strengthening macroeconomic stability. She underscored the importance of expanding bilateral cooperation between Yemen and Germany and further deepening the development partnership in support of the government’s economic recovery efforts and the delivery of essential public services.

Dr. Al-Zouba also outlined the challenges arising from the decline in international development financing, stressing the need for stronger coordination among development partners and greater efforts to avoid duplication in the implementation of programmes and projects in order to maximize the impact of available resources.

For his part, Ambassador Schneider reaffirmed Germany’s commitment to continuing its support for Yemen across both humanitarian and development sectors. He also commended the Yemeni government’s efforts to advance economic reforms and strengthen coordination with international partners.