Minister of Planning meets with the Acting Executive Director of the World Food Programme

[02/07/2026 11:35]
Hamburg – Saba News

The Minister of Planning and International Cooperation, Dr Afrah Al-Zuba, met today with the Acting Executive Director of the World Food Programme, Karl Skau, on the sidelines of the Hamburg Sustainability Conference 2026.

During the meeting, attended by Yemen’s Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany, Lu’ay al-Iryani, the World Food Programme’s operations in Yemen were reviewed, along with ways to enhance food access for the most vulnerable groups – particularly children and mothers – and to reduce food costs through innovative mechanisms that utilise local markets and support producers, farmers and fishermen.

Minister Al-Zuba emphasised the importance of integrating efforts with national safety net programmes and school feeding schemes, and of highlighting success stories that demonstrate the impact of the partnership between the government and the Programme. She stressed the need to move from humanitarian response to strengthening resilience and development, and to breaking the cycle of dependency.

The Minister of Planning also called for redoubled international advocacy efforts to mobilise support for Yemen in the face of declining funding, and for the inclusion of issues relating to fragile states on the G20 agenda, stressing that Yemen is bearing the brunt of crises beyond its control, including the repercussions of climate change.

For his part, the Acting Executive Director emphasised the Programme’s commitment to continuing its support for Yemen and the importance of donors focusing on the country’s needs, whilst expressing his support for strengthening national capacities and investing in resilience and development.