Yemen takes part in the Hamburg Sustainability Conference 2026

[29/06/2026 04:24]
Hamburg – Saba News

The Republic of Yemen took part in the Hamburg Sustainability Conference 2026, hosted by the city of Hamburg in the Federal Republic of Germany, with a delegation led by the Minister of Planning and International Cooperation, Dr Afrah Al-Zuba.

The two-day conference, attended by government leaders and representatives, international partners, and stakeholders from the private sector and civil society from around the world, the fundamental transformations required in the international development cooperation system to address the challenges faced by fragile states and those affected by conflict and climate change, as well as pathways towards more sustainable and equitable economic and energy systems.

On the sidelines of the conference, in the presence of Yemen’s Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany, Lu’ay Al-Iryani, the Minister of Planning and International Cooperation met with the Executive Director of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Alexander de Croo, and discussed with him the existing cooperation between the Yemeni Government and the UNDP, as well as ways to develop this cooperation in the coming period in line with the Government’s priorities and development plans.

The meeting also addressed the new UNDP Country Programme Document for Yemen for the period 2027–2030, which will be presented to the UNDP Executive Board at its first session early next year.

Minister Al-Zuba emphasised the Yemeni government’s appreciation for its long-standing partnership with the UNDP, which has spanned decades of joint work before, during and after the war. She commended the UNDP’s role as the leading development agency that has maintained its presence and the continuity of its development interventions in Yemen, even during periods when the bulk of international support was channelled towards humanitarian aid.

The Minister of Planning and International Cooperation outlined the initiative on which the Yemeni government is working in coordination with its partners in fragile states, which comprises four key points currently being prepared for presentation at the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly this coming September and at the G20 meetings. She noted that the initiative centres on debt restructuring for the most fragile states, providing a structured package of food and fertilisers for the most vulnerable countries, and enhancing private sector engagement through innovative financing tools, including first-loss guarantees and blended finance mechanisms, as well as developing early warning mechanisms and flexible financing to address the multiple shocks faced by fragile states.

For his part, the Executive Director of the United Nations Development Programme welcomed the priorities set out by the Minister of Planning and International Cooperation, emphasising the Programme’s commitment to working closely with the Yemeni government in these areas.

Both sides emphasised the importance of ensuring that these priorities are aligned with the National Development Plan, which the government is currently preparing through a consultative process between the central government and local authorities, thereby reflecting the priorities of Yemeni citizens across all regions of the country.