The Minister of Local Administration discusses with the Development Program support for decentralization and empowering local authorities.

Minister Discusses Decentralization Support in Yemen

In a significant meeting held today in the temporary capital of Aden, Minister of Local Administration Engineer Badr Basalama engaged with Zina Ahmed, the Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Yemen. The discussion focused on enhancing support for decentralization efforts and empowering local authorities.

Strengthening Local Governance

During the meeting, both parties explored mechanisms to bolster institutional capacity-building programs. They emphasized the importance of enhancing the developmental role of provinces. This aligns with the Presidential Leadership Council and the government’s commitment to strengthening financial and administrative decentralization. The goal is to enable local authorities to exercise their powers through measurable executive programs.

Commitment to Local Development

Minister Basalama praised the UNDP’s role in supporting local development initiatives. He highlighted the ministry’s plans to reform provincial conditions gradually. This includes preparing for the transfer of financial and administrative powers, developing performance evaluation mechanisms, and selecting pilot models for phased implementation. He also noted the imminent execution of the Good Governance Strategy, capacity-building programs, the Local Governance Academy project, and the performance evaluation program for local authorities.

UNDP’s Support for Local Authorities

In response, Zina Ahmed reaffirmed the UNDP’s readiness to support the ministry’s plans. She emphasized the importance of implementing programs to train local authority staff and mobilizing donor support for projects that enhance decentralization and achieve sustainable development. This collaboration aims to strengthen the developmental partnership with the government.

Conclusion

The meeting marks a crucial step towards fostering effective local governance in Yemen. By prioritizing decentralization and empowering local authorities, both the Yemeni government and the UNDP aim to create a more sustainable and responsive administrative framework for the country’s future.

For more details, visit Yemen TV.

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