Publications

Policy Briefs

Updates on economic developments in Yemen and other relevant Policy Briefs.

Scaling up Solar Energy Investments in Yemen

March 20, 2023 Policy Briefs
This brief provides an introduction to electricity provision in Yemen and explores the viability of specific solar energy applications for Yemen’s fragile context. It further considers the feasibility of partnering with the private sector in the solar energy sector, and finally presents recommendations and practical steps to address challenges to scaling-up investments in this sector in…

Priorities for the Recovery and Reform of the Electricity Sector in Yemen

November 11, 2021 Policy Briefs
Electricity is the backbone of any economy and one of the necessities of modern life. Since even before the current war, poor electricity services in Yemen have been one of the key barriers to sustainable economic development and basic service provisions, such as water supply, health care, and education. This policy brief presents an overview of the electricity sector and its relevant…

Local Economic Councils: A Tool to Improve Business Productivity in Yemen

September 6, 2021 Policy Briefs
Even before the events of 2014 and 2015 that led Yemen into the ongoing civil war, its economy was fragile. The years of hardship that have haunted the country ever since have been devastating. Yemen is now rated as one of the hardest places in the world for businesses to operate and is last or near last in a host of global business competitiveness indexes. From January 25-27,2021 the…

Solar-Powered Irrigation in Yemen: Opportunities, Challenges and Policies

April 29, 2021 Policy Briefs
This study examines the current trend of solar-powered irrigation system (SPIS) use in Sana’a Basin, identifying the pros and cons of this approach. It presents the perspectives of farmers and experts in terms of what is happening and what should be done to maximize the benefits and minimize the negative impacts of SPIS. The incidence of SPIS installation is increasing at a rate of more…

Impacts of the War on the Telecommunications Sector in Yemen

January 11, 2021 Policy Briefs
The telecommunications and information technology sector in Yemen is a vital component of the country’s infrastructure and plays a critical role in economic growth. It is the second largest source of public revenue after the petroleum sector, and contributes important work opportunities, whether directly or indirectly, through its connections to other sectors of the national economy.

Economic Priorities for a Sustainable Peace Agreement in Yemen

June 2, 2020 Policy Briefs
The sustainability of a peace agreement in Yemen depends on two critical economic issues. First, in a conflict that is largely over access to resources, the issues of distribution, control, and sharing of those resources can make or break peace. Therefore, these issues must be addressed head-on during negotiations. Second, where peace agreements lack provisions that create overall economic…

Developing Yemen’s Fishing Industry

March 31, 2020 Policy Briefs
The fishing industry in Yemen faces many structural challenges that have limited its production and potential contribution to overall economic output. Development of the industry’s infrastructure, human capacity and regulation was already poor prior to the outbreak of the ongoing armed conflict in Yemen. Since the war began five years ago the fishing industry has faced increased challenges,…

Developing Human Capital

January 16, 2020 Policy Briefs
This policy brief summarizes discussions regarding Yemen’s human capital at a “Rethinking Yemen’s Economy” workshop held in Amman, Jordan, on August 24-25, 2019. The workshop participants agreed that Yemen’s human capital accumulation has almost certainly regressed since the current conflict began. However, there is a dearth of reliable data to assess the scope and nature of this regression…

Restructuring Public Finances in Yemen

October 2, 2019 Policy Briefs
Even before the current conflict, Yemen’s public finances suffered from an overdependence on energy exports, one of the lowest tax collection rates in the world, and chronic budget and balance of payments deficits. The government’s consistent operating deficits were funded through domestic debt instruments – drawing investment away from the private sector – borrowing from its own central…

Inflated Beyond Fiscal Capacity: The Need to Reform the Public Sector Wage Bill

September 23, 2019 Policy Briefs
This policy brief addresses the issue of Yemen’s bloated public sector. Due to decades of corruption and patronage appointments, among other factors, public sector salaries were already a source of fiscal stress prior to the ongoing war. Previous efforts to downsize the public sector, notably those supported by the World Bank, produced few tangible results, as this brief outlines. During…

White Papers

Updates on economic developments in Yemen and other relevant publications.

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