Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Discusses Strengthening Partnerships with the Private Sector and Supporting the Electricity Sector with the International Finance Corporation

[15/04/2026 01:01]
Washington – Saba:

Dr Afrah Al-Zuba, Minister of Planning and International Cooperation and Yemen’s Governor to the World Bank Group, discussed today, Tuesday, in the US capital Washington, with the leadership of the International Finance Corporation (IFC), ways to strengthen the partnership between the public and private sectors and develop investment projects in the electricity and energy sectors, on the sidelines of the 2026 Spring Meetings of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund.

The meeting was attended by Engineer Adnan Al-Kaf, Minister of Electricity and Energy, and Engineer Abdullah Hajjar, Deputy Minister of Electricity and Energy, via video link, alongside Dr Nizar Basheeb, Deputy Minister of Planning and International Cooperation, whilst the international side was represented by Ms Dina Abu Ghaida, Country Director for Yemen at the World Bank Group, and an expanded team of leaders and experts from the International Finance Corporation.

Dr Al-Zuba reviewed the Yemeni government’s strategic shift from relief work towards development work, emphasising the importance of strengthening the private sector’s role in development and creating job opportunities for young people, and noting the Cabinet’s approval of the public-private partnership policy, and the establishment of a specialised unit for this purpose within the Prime Minister’s Office, in addition to directing sectoral ministries to nominate model projects in line with this framework, in preparation for a public-private partnership dialogue.

For their part, the Minister of Electricity and Energy, Engineer Adnan Al-Kaf, reviewed the current situation in the electricity sector and the gap between demand and available generation capacity, as well as the importance of early coordination with the Ministry of Electricity at all preparatory stages of energy projects, to ensure their success and achieve mutual benefit. The International Finance Corporation (IFC) team also reviewed the IFC’s projects in the electricity sector, including solar power generation projects and the development of bankable power purchase agreements to attract independent power producers, as well as new financing products to support small and medium-sized enterprises.

At the conclusion of the meeting, Dr Afrah Al-Zuba affirmed the unity of the internationally recognised Central Bank of Yemen, emphasising the importance of maintaining this framework in dealings with international financial institutions to safeguard economic stability in the Republic of Yemen.

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)