Minister of Planning and International Cooperation, Dr. Afrah Al-Zouba, held a virtual meeting today with the Ambassador of Italy to Yemen, Carlo Baldocci, to discuss the reactivation of development cooperation between the two countries and explore new opportunities for partnership.

The discussions covered prospects for future cooperation across a range of areas, including technical assistance, institutional capacity building, cultural heritage preservation, biodiversity conservation, climate change adaptation and its impact on productive sectors, as well as opportunities for multilateral cooperation through European Union institutions.

Dr. Al-Zouba outlined the priorities of the Government, led by Prime Minister Dr. Shaya Mohsin Al-Zindani, highlighting its agenda for economic recovery, improved basic public services, and institutional reform. She also reviewed the government’s ongoing efforts to strengthen public institutions and enhance coordination with international partners.

The Minister emphasized the longstanding historical relationship between Yemen and Italy, which spans nearly a century, and highlighted Italy’s rich legacy of cooperation with Yemen in the fields of health, education, infrastructure, cultural heritage, environmental protection, and maritime security. She expressed her hope of restoring this partnership to its full potential.

For his part, Ambassador Baldocci commended the efforts of the Yemeni government and noted that Italy was the first country to establish friendly relations with Yemen nearly one hundred years ago. He expressed Italy’s readiness to begin coordinating with the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation and to explore new forms of collaboration aligned with Yemen’s current development priorities.