Joint Saudi-UNDP Technical Team Formed to Work in Yemen

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, June 26, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yemen (SDRPY) has formed a partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) following a meeting between SDRPY Supervisor Ambassador Mohammed bin Saeed Al Jaber and UNDP Deputy Resident Representative Nahed Hussein on Wednesday.

Following a review of SDRPY's development goals and a briefing on its future projects in the environmental sanitation, social protection, food security and health sectors, the parties agreed to establish a joint technical team and a plan to partner with the Yemeni government during the transition from the phase of humanitarian aid to development.

UNDP and SDRPY agreed to define development priorities with regard to Yemen's current status, reviewed the efforts of international development bodies, and discussed measures taken to mitigate the economic, social and health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The parties also examined ways of working jointly to speed Yemen's economic recovery in light of current challenges to development work.

The two parties stressed the importance of creating a transformation plan to work in partnership with the Yemeni government and shift from relief work to development carefully, as the COVID-19 pandemic had brought about social change necessitating strengthened technologies for performing development work.

Ambassador Al Jaber clarified SDRPY's strategy in carrying out its development projects in cooperation with the Yemeni government, local authorities and civil society organizations in accordance with the needs of local communities. Al Jaber also explained that SDRPY intends to expand its forthcoming developmental projects by working with the Yemeni Ministry of Planning and Cooperation to build the capacities of the Yemeni government and local authorities in implementing development projects and restoring basic services that have a direct impact on daily lives.

Among the attendees were SDRPY development specialists Dr. Adil Al-Qusadi, Randah Al-Hothali, Dr. Hala Al Saleh and Faisal Sasa, along with development experts from the UNDP Isaac Diwan, Bassam Ramadan, and Maris Oliver.

SDRPY seeks to expand its development programs, create jobs and improve livelihoods to help overcome the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Yemen's economy. SDRPY is currently doing this through projects in 7 vital sectors to improve Yemeni living standards, launching 175 projects in two years: 18 health, 45 educational, 30 water, 26 government entities, 23 transportation, 20 energy, and 13 agriculture and fisheries projects.

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