Sana'a – Saba:
A workshop held in Sana'a reviewed on Wednesday the plans of Yemeni government entities funded by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) for the years 2025–2026.
The workshop, organized by the International Cooperation Sector at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, was attended by representatives from various ministries, government institutions, UNICEF team members, and technical specialists. Discussions focused on strengthening institutional coordination and participatory planning between the government , UNICEF through the review of implemented programs and upcoming funding plans.
During the workshop, Eng. Tawfiq Al-Haroush, National Coordinator at the Ministry of Electricity, Energy, and Water, presented a detailed report on the achievements in the water, rural, and emergency sectors during 2023–2024. He also outlined the estimated plan for 2025–2026 aimed at improving water , sanitation services , addressing climate and funding challenges in the water sector.
He emphasized that the ministry's plan centers on expanding access to safe drinking water in both quantity and quality, improving sanitation services, enhancing the efficiency of water supply systems in the face of climate change, promoting the use of sustainable water sources, and reducing operational costs by expanding solar-powered water systems.
According to Al-Haroush, the plan includes measures to strengthen institutional capacity by training over 2,000 technical staff, equipping specialized laboratories for water and solar panel quality testing, and providing pilot units to develop technical monitoring systems and boost operational efficiency.
He noted the key challenges include aging sewage networks and treatment plants that fail to meet urban expansion demands, depletion of groundwater due to overextraction, low public awareness, and a significant funding gap compared to the growing needs.
Murgham Al-Soufi, Coordinator of the Protection Cluster at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor, presented a comprehensive overview of the challenges facing the social protection and child protection sectors. He also reviewed the outcomes of the 2023–2024 Social Policy Plan, which included the development of a national strategic framework and capacity-building for the Fund for the Care and Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities.
He pointed out the continued lack of funding for the ministry’s 2025 plan, despite its alignment with protection priorities.
The workshop concluded with several recommendations emphasizing the vital role of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, through its International Cooperation Sector, in coordinating between organizations and government bodies for the implementation of programs, projects, and interventions.
Participants also stressed the need to build trust and teamwork between the government and UNICEF across all stages of humanitarian work—from joint planning to evaluation and verification. They called on UNICEF to intensify advocacy and donor engagement efforts to bridge the funding gap caused by the suspension of aid, and urged the UN Secretary-General to review the decision to halt humanitarian assistance in Sa’ada Governorate and development projects in northern provinces.
The recommendations also called for the formation of a joint committee between the International Cooperation Sector and UNICEF to establish a permanent coordination mechanism linking UNICEF’s sub-offices with humanitarian branches of government offices, enabling regular meetings to evaluate activity implementation and address emerging challenges.
Additionally, the workshop recommended creating a unified case management mechanism among government entities and integrating persons with disabilities into all UNICEF-funded services to ensure inclusion and equitable access to humanitarian support.
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