Yemen’s Way Forward: Rethinking Current Approaches to Economy and Development

Overview

Yemen’s Way Forward will take stock of the current challenges Yemen is facing regarding development and the economy, analyze the effectiveness of the current approaches and discuss the roles as well as the need for more effective collaboration between the relevant actors. The discussions will also touch upon how the current situation is affecting the peace process and vice versa. Furthermore, the event will explore some of the latest research outputs from the Rethinking Yemen’s Economy initiative.

Background

After more than four years of war, the battles in Yemen are nowhere close to losing their intensity. As a result, the population is ever closer to one of the worst famines in the modern history. The recently signed Riyadh Agreement between the internationally recognized government and the Southern Transitional Council as well as ongoing talks between the Houthis (Ansar Allah) and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia offer a new glimmer of hope for a re-invigoration of a comprehensive peace process, but many serious obstacles on the path towards a national political settlement and an alleviation of the suffering of the Yemeni population remain.

The Rethinking Yemen’s Economy initiative aims to contribute to peacebuilding and conflict prevention, (economic) stabilization and sustainable development in Yemen by building consensus in crucial policy areas through engaging and promoting informed Yemeni voices from all backgrounds in the public discourse on development, economy and post-conflict reconstruction in Yemen and by positively influencing local, regional and international development agendas. The project is implemented by CARPO – Center for Applied Research in Partnership with the Orient, DeepRoot Consulting and the Sana’a Center for Strategic Studies. It is funded by the European Union and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Yemen.

Agenda

9.00 – 9.15 | Coffee and Registration

9.15 – 9.30 | Welcome Remarks

Amb. Wolfgang Klapper, EastWest Institute

Dr. Marie-Christine Heinze, CARPO

9.30 –11.00 | Session 1: Challenges to Governance in Yemen

This session will review previous, ongoing and future challenges to governance in Yemen. Amongst others, the speakers will focus on matters relating to local governance, combatting corruption and options for post-conflict governance.

Speakers:

Dr. Saadaldeen Talib, Development Champion

Osamah al-Rawhani, Sana’a Center for Strategic Studies

Moderator:

Kawa Hassan, EastWest Institute

11.00 – 11.30 | Refreshments

11.30 – 13.00 | Session 2: Development from an Economic and Humanitarian Perspective

This session will take a look at humanitarian and economic perspectives on development. The speakers will address current economic challenges, also with view to the recent conflict in Aden und the Riyadh Agreement; highlight the necessity of investing in Yemen’s human capital; and shed light on the humanitarian-development nexus.

Speakers:

Jeehan Abdul Ghaffar, Development Champion

Afrah al-Zouba, Development Champion

Rafat al-Akhali, DeepRoot Consulting

Moderator:

Dr. Marie-Christine Heinze, CARPO

13.00 – 14.00 | Lunch

How to Join

Kindly note that registration to this event is mandatory due to limited space.

Please register here by November 22, 2019.

Event Venue

EastWest Institute

Rue de Trèves 59-61, 1040 Brussels , 4th Floor