[07/07/2026 05:49]

ADEN-SABA

Minister of Social Affairs and Labor, the Deputy Chairman of the Board of the Social Fund for Development (SFD), Mukhtar al-Yafei held on Wednesday virtual talks with the European Union Ambassador to Yemen Patrick Simonnet and international partners.

He discussed with them current situation of the Social Fund for Development, ways to strengthen its national role and mechanisms to ensure the continuation of cash assistance programs targeting eligible households.

The meeting, attended by the World Bank Country Director for Yemen Dina Abu-Ghaida, the Yemen's Country Director of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) Tawfiq al-Zubairi and the First Secretary for Water, Food Security and Private Sector Development at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Yemen Winnie van der Wal, highlighted the importance of ensuring the continued operation of the Social Fund for Development as a key national institution responsible for implementing social and development programs.

The participants also discussed ways to enable the Fund to continue its interventions through transparent institutional mechanisms and internationally recognized standards.


During the meeting, Minister al-Yafei reaffirmed the government's commitment to keeping international partners informed of its policies and priorities in managing social protection programs.

He stressed that the government should serve as the supervisory authority for any aid or grants provided across the country, ensuring that such assistance is delivered within its proper humanitarian and development framework.

"The Social Fund for Development represents a vital national pillar for social protection and local development," said al-Yafei.

"Preserving its role and institutional independence is a shared responsibility that will enable it to continue its interventions from the temporary capital, Aden, with nationwide coverage across all governorates, serving eligible families and vulnerable groups without discrimination," he added.

For their part, the international partners reaffirmed their commitment to continuing cooperation with the government of Yemen to support people and strengthen social protection and development programs.

They emphasized the importance of aligning assistance with identified priorities and needs, while working in partnership with the relevant government institutions to ensure support reaches eligible beneficiaries across various social and development sectors.

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