Almotamar.net- Hanaa Alwjeeh -

The government of Yemen and donors held the fourth follow-up meeting today in Sana’a to discuss the progress made in the Mutual Accountability Framework (MAF) and the level of aid absorption in the last quarter of this year.
The meeting was chaired by the Yemeni Prime Minister, the Chairman of Executive Bureau to Accelerate Aid Absorption and Support for Policy Reforms Board (EB), Eng. Khalid Bahah, from the government and the World Bank, G4 and GCC Mission representing donors. The meeting was attended by the Ministers of Planning, Finance, Transport, Public Works, Trade number of deputies and government institutions chairmen.
The meeting, which was attended by GCC ambassadors and donors representatives as well as private sector, parliament and CSO representatives, has discussed the policy reforms implementation and absorption of donors’ aid included in the EB’s annual report. The meeting also debated the next steps and mutual commitments of both the government and donors.
Mrs. Amatalim Alsoswa, the EB’s Managing Director, welcomed the attendees and highlighted the significance of the meeting which was held after the formation of the technocratic government led by PM Eng. Khaled Bahah. She also said that the meeting was held after one year passed since the launching of the EB under which worked under exceptional security, political, economic and stability challenges.
“The Yemeni government and donors community should agree on a work plan and a mechanism to increase the level of allocation, approval and disbursement of the remaining funds as well as the development of a National Plan for the Foreign Aid as it represents a primary indicator and regulator of the GoY-donors relationship from one side, and the government.” Mrs. Alsoswa said.
From his side, the Prime Minister stressed that the cabinet targeted a number of priorities in its program. The primary priorities were security, stability, spreading State’s control and push the economic development wheel forward. “The government is working to make the best use of the donors’ pledges and reach high absorption rates for these resources. It is also seeking to approve the implementation of public policies that enhance the governments commitments towards the MAF implementation” the PM said.
The PM concluded his statement underlining that the government is also working to develop an investment projects priority selection system which will be included in the development plans in different sectors. He also affirmed that the government is also working to achieve harmonization between the public investment program and development goals and policy plans with the State’s public budget and to develop a foreign aid information system in order to carry out an effective monitoring and evaluation process that helps in achieving the intended goals of these externally funded projects.
The EB has delivered a short presentation on aid absorption and policy reform processes followed by CSOs comments which focused on the significance of the commitment to the signed peace agreement between the political leaders and enhancing the monitoring mechanisms on external aids. The CSOs speaker has also stressed on the importance of enacting the partnership law between GoY and CSOs. The private sectors representative comments affirmed the importance of engaging the private sector in the new constitution drafting process. He also urged for approving the PPP law and improving economic legislations. Moreover, the World Bank shed light on the economic challenges facing Yemen and the need to improve the security situation which will pave the way to reviving economy and development. The world bank renewed the Bank’s confirmation to provide ultimate support to Yemen.
The Minister of Planning stressed on the significance of partnership between GoY and donors and development partners, civil society and private sector. The second session of the meeting was dedicated to GoY-donors discussions.
The meeting was concluded with a short statement by the Prime Minister focused on the next steps of the government to be undertaken to accelerate, absorb external aids as well as the implementation of the MAF.