Minister of Planning and International Cooperation, Dr. Afrah Al-Zouba, met today in the temporary capital, Aden, with UNICEF Representative in Yemen Peter Hawkins to review the organization’s programme of work and planned interventions for the current year, and to discuss ways to strengthen cooperation in implementing projects across a range of development sectors.

The meeting reviewed UNICEF’s ongoing programmes in social protection, health, nutrition, education, water, and sanitation, as well as the organization’s contributions to supporting essential services for children and families in Yemen. The two sides also discussed ways to strengthen coordination and deepen their partnership in support of the government’s humanitarian and development priorities.

Dr. Al-Zouba emphasized the importance of continuing cooperation with UNICEF as a key development and humanitarian partner. She stressed the need to strengthen the government’s role in coordinating and guiding international assistance in line with national priorities, while outlining the challenges facing government institutions and the efforts underway to address the country’s current circumstances.

The Minister also called for the development of a new generation of programmes that move beyond traditional approaches, with greater emphasis on providing technical support to national and local institutions to strengthen their capacity to deliver services effectively. She stressed that development projects should reflect the government’s vision and priorities for achieving inclusive and sustainable development while safeguarding the rights of children, women, and the country’s most vulnerable communities.

For his part, Peter Hawkins reaffirmed UNICEF’s commitment to continuing its support for Yemen and working closely with the government to expand programmes benefiting children and the most vulnerable families.

In a separate meeting, Dr. Al-Zouba met with Adam Veenman, Acting FAO Representative in Yemen, to discuss strengthening cooperation in the areas of food security and agricultural development.

The discussions focused on the government’s priorities for rehabilitating agricultural infrastructure, increasing domestic agricultural production, and developing the livestock and fisheries sectors in ways that improve livelihoods and strengthen economic resilience in rural communities.

Dr. Al-Zouba expressed the government’s appreciation for its partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and commended the organization’s role in supporting agriculture and fisheries projects and strengthening the resilience of rural communities amid growing food insecurity, economic challenges, and the impacts of climate change.

The meeting concluded with both sides reaffirming the importance of strengthening coordination to ensure that FAO programmes and projects are aligned with Yemen’s national development priorities, while working together to mobilize additional resources in support of agricultural recovery and sustainable rural development.