August 5, 2019 - August 6, 2019 Berlin

The Development Champions and representatives of the Rethinking Yemen’s Economy initiative held policy briefings in Berlin on August 6, 2019, to discuss economic and development issues in Yemen.

The Development Champions held two panels at a public event co-hosted by the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES). The first panel addressed the tense relationship between the central government and local authorities and revenue collection on the local level. The Development Champions shared proposals on how to address these tensions. They also discussed the evolving local dynamics in Yemen, the state of the UN-led peace process and recent developments on the ground. A recent RYE publication on options for a transitional government in post-conflict Yemen was also presented and discussed.

The second panel provided an overview of the economic situation before and during the conflict, focusing on the challenges facing food imports. It also presented the impact of the conflict on the Yemeni economy in general  and the efforts to address the identified challenges by the government and the regional and international community respectively. The Development Champions discussed the difficulties surrounding job creation and emphasized the  necessity of shifting from a humanitarian approach to aid towards a development-centered approach. The event was attended by diplomats, researchers, media and representatives of think tanks and international organizations.
Following the public event, the Development Champions met with policymakers to discuss ways to support economic growth and the peace process and to share insights on developments in southern Yemen; ways to empower local governance structures; and proposals to address the tensions between the central government and local authorities.