Minister

: Dr. Afrah Abdulaziz Al-Zuba

Afrah Al-Zouba: The First Yemeni Woman Appointed Minister of Planning and International Cooperation

A decree has been issued on 6 February 2026 appointing Dr. Afrah Al-Zouba as Minister of Planning and International Cooperation, making her the first Yemeni woman to hold this position.

Dr. Al-Zouba brings over 25 years of leadership and strategic experience in public administration, institutional governance and economic development. She is widely regarded as one of Yemen’s leading experts in international cooperation and in building strategic partnerships with institutions and development partners.

Throughout her career, Dr. Al-Zouba served as Executive Director of the Executive Bureau for the Acceleration of Aid Absorption and the Support of Policy Reforms. In this capacity, she managed high-level coordination between the Yemeni government and international partners, including the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yemen (SDRPY). She led a range of institutional and sectoral reform initiatives aimed at strengthening governance and improving aid effectiveness.

At the national level, Dr. Al-Zouba played a prominent role during Yemen’s transitional phase. She served as Deputy Secretary-General of the Comprehensive National Dialogue Conference and was a member of the Constitution Drafting Committee. In these roles, she oversaw international cooperation, technical support, and community outreach efforts, demonstrating her ability to manage complex and sensitive national issues.

She also served as an advisor to the Prime Minister on humanitarian relief and development programs and represented Yemen at several international forums. Her professional background includes work with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), through which she gained extensive expertise in governance, democracy, poverty reduction and community development programs, particularly in the education and health sectors.

Academically, Dr. Al-Zouba holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Science and Technology in Sana’a, a Master of Science in Community Health and Health Economics from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, and a Bachelor of Pharmacy from Sana’a University.

Her appointment represents a significant milestone in advancing women’s leadership in Yemen and strengthening their presence in high-level decision-making roles, particularly in the fields of economic policy, development planning and international cooperation