January 13, 2018 - January 16, 2018 Amman, Jordan

The second Development Champions Forum (DCF) convened 23 Development Champions on January 14-16, 2018, bringing together local voices from the social, humanitarian, development and economic sectors.

During this forum, the Development Champions discussed the results of the initiative’s latest research which included An Institutional Framework for Post-Conflict Reconstruction, Private Sector Engagement in Post-Conflict Yemen and Local Governance in Yemen Amid Conflict and Instability.

The Champions also attended presentations by renowned international experts on key issues, including the challenges facing humanitarian organizations, macroeconomic policies during conflict and the resolution of conflict and economic priorities. The group then held in-depth discussions on how to preserve the national currency and prevent the collapse of the banking sector, and how to improve the efficiency of the humanitarian response and reinforce the resilience of Yemeni society.

The forum resulted in two policy briefs. The first, Restoring Central Bank Capacity and Stabilizing the Rial, addressed the deterioration of the value of the Yemeni rial and the magnifying impact this has had on the humanitarian crisis, as well as the need to re-empower the Central Bank of Yemen as the steward of the rial and the economy more broadly.

The second policy brief, Increasing the Effectiveness of the Humanitarian Response in Yemen, tackled the need to increase the reach and efficiency of the campaign by international humanitarian organizations and United Nations agencies to address Yemen’s humanitarian crisis.

The DCF was followed by a joint meeting between the Development Champions and representatives of the international community on January 17, 2018. The Development Champions delivered presentations on the outcomes of the second DCF, after which discussions took place on the role of the international community in supporting economic development in Yemen.