Yemen and China sign a development cooperation agreement worth 50 million Chinese yuan

[12/05/2026 03:10]

Riyadh - Saba

The Republic of Yemen today signed a development cooperation agreement with the People’s Republic of China, aimed at strengthening bilateral relations and supporting areas of development and humanitarian cooperation between the two friendly countries.

The agreement was signed on behalf of the Yemeni government by the Minister of Planning and International Cooperation, Dr Afrah Al-Zuba, whilst the Chinese side was represented by the Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Yemen, Xiao Zheng.

The agreement includes a financial grant from the Chinese government to the Yemeni government worth 50 million Chinese yuan, to be used for the implementation of humanitarian aid or development cooperation projects, in accordance with the priorities and needs of the Yemeni government, and as agreed between the two sides.

Following the signing, the Minister of Planning and International Cooperation emphasised the importance of the agreement in supporting the government’s efforts to alleviate humanitarian and development challenges, whilst commending the People’s Republic of China’s supportive stance towards Yemen across various fields.

Minister Al-Zuba noted the Yemeni government’s keenness to strengthen partnership and cooperation with China, thereby contributing to the implementation of sustainable development projects that meet the needs of citizens and support the path to economic recovery.

On the sidelines of the signing ceremony, an extensive discussion took place between Minister Al-Zuba and the Chinese Chargé d’Affaires regarding the government’s priorities and ways to utilise Chinese support to achieve the optimal developmental impact.

Minister Al-Zuba reviewed a number of priority sectors, foremost among them the water sector, where the importance of providing solar energy systems and batteries to operate water wells in the city of Aden as an alternative to fossil fuels was discussed, in response to the sector’s urgent needs.

The discussion also covered the electricity sector and the importance of supporting grid and transmission stations in Aden and neighbouring governorates through previous allocations, as well as the education and health sectors and other vital sectors.

The Minister of Planning emphasised the importance of Chinese support in filling the gaps not covered by other donors, thereby enhancing the integration of international efforts in support of the government.

The two sides also discussed the importance of building the capacity of Yemeni personnel through training programmes in China, and expanding their scope to include the transport, energy and health sectors, amongst others, as well as benefiting from the expertise of Chinese small and medium-sized enterprises and linking them with the Yemeni private sector in the fields of agriculture, fisheries and manufacturing.

For his part, the Chinese Chargé d’Affaires affirmed his country’s continued support for Yemen in humanitarian and development fields, and China’s keenness to expand the horizons of joint cooperation and strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries in a manner that serves the common interests of the two friendly peoples.