Yemen to assess progress in accountability MAF

The government and donors convened here on Sunday to assess the progress in the implementation of externally-funded projects and the donor pledges absorption within the Mutual Accountability Framework (MAF).
The meeting, which is the third of regular meetings agreed to be held by the government and donors, aims to evaluate the progress of the allocation of the funds donors were pledged to Yemen in the Riyadh conference and the Group of Friends of Yemen 4th meeting in New York.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Electricity Abdullah al-Akwa, who chaired the meeting, expressed the Yemeni government's appreciation for the keenness shown by the donors community to support and assist Yemen to overcome the exceptional and difficult circumstances, praising the existing partnership and cooperation between Yemen and donors.
Minister of Oil and Minerals Hussein al-Kaf confirmed that the government has embarked on the establishment of a real partnership with the private sector, which will not be limited to the provision of oil services, but also engaging the sector in the production and supply lines.
"The government, in spite of the difficulties facing the country and the security conditions that pose a concern and an obstacle to reforms and development, affirmed that it will go ahead to implement a package of reforms", al-Kaf said, elaborating that those reforms included decreasing the fuel subsidies ,completing the implementation of the fingerprint and photo system and engaging the private sector in development and oil investments.
For her part, Head of the Executive Bureau to accelerate absorption of donors' pledges Amat al-Alim Alsoswa reviewed the Bureau's achievements over the last three months, topped by developing mechanisms to collect information on externally-funded projects and launching a program to build the capacity of executive units of the projects.
Alsoswa touched on the evaluation results of the pledges disbursement ,pointing out that the increase in the disbursement rate from the donor pledges has not seen a significant improvement, as the disbursement ratio amounted to 38% of the total pledges in 2012.
For their part, representatives of the donor countries and organizations affirmed that the problems currently faced by Yemen can only be resolved through dialogue and the disbursement of donor pledges will enhance the political stability.
They stressed the need to strengthen the capacity building of government institutions and approving and activating the law of partnership with the private sector and supporting the Social Welfare Fund.