The EU-OECD project on Promoting Economic Resilience in Yemen held its third Steering Committee Meeting on 05 October 2023 in Amman, Jordan. Dr. Carlos Conde, Head of Division, Middle East and Africa Division, Global Relations Cooperation Directorate led the OECD delegation, which co-hosted the delegation from the Government of Yemen, led by H.E. Dr. Waed Badhib, Minister of Planning & International Cooperation (MoPIC), H.E. Mohammed Ba Naga, Vice Governor of the Central Bank (CBY) and Dr. Safa Matai, Head of the Central Statistical Organisation (CSO). H.E. Gabriel Munuera Viñals, Ambassador of the European Union (EU) to Yemen led the EU delegation.

The third convening of the project’s Steering Committee had three main objectives:

1. Present a progress report of the achievements made during the implementation phase of the EU-OECD project,
2. Discuss upcoming activities and how they align with the development objectives of the Government of Yemen

• Discuss the strategic objectives of the project for the future.

During the meeting, OECD officials presented key achievements from their respective workstreams under the project’s three pillars- Building Resilient Economic Institutions, Private Sector Development and Enhancing Donor Coordination and Policy Coherence - and received comments from the Yemeni delegation on the intervention.

On Building Resilient Economic Institutions, Yemeni officials made the following interventions:

• There is concern about the adverse impact of the anti-usury law implemented by the Houthis, which has significantly affected the operations of Yemeni banks. Additionally, he raised the issue of cash liquidity shortages within banks, underscoring the urgency to restore confidence in the Yemeni banking sector.
• It is important for ministries to initiate the use of new registrars and intensify their efforts towards digitalization. It became evident that the Yemeni government requires substantial support in developing the legal frameworks that underpin Central Statistics Organisations (CSOs).
• The establishment of a general framework for the PPD is essential, aligning with the government's desire to promote private sector compliance.
• There is a need to establish a general framework for the PPD, aligning with the government's desire to promote private sector compliance.

On Strategic Objectives, the OECD presented The Yemen Knowledge Platform, a digital one-stop shop compiling in a user-friendly way all knowledge and material produced by the project in English and Arabic.

The Yemeni representatives offered the following remarks:

• The government's top priorities encompass humanitarian assistance, reconstruction efforts and comprehensive capacity development programs, all aimed at fostering stability and progress in Yemen.
• There is a growing apprehension about the next generation of Yemeni public sector officials, particularly considering the impending retirement of senior leadership.
• There is a need for continued collaboration and cooperation with MoPIC, thanks to its pivotal role in evaluating the OECD's work, underlining the importance of their active involvement in the process. The minister called for reform within the system, advocating for the establishment of an institutional centre dedicated to training public officials in taxation matters.