World Bank Group launches new partnership framework and projects for Yemen

The World Bank‘s Board of Executive Directors has approved a new Country Partnership Framework (CPF) for the Republic of Yemen for fiscal years 2026-2030, alongside four new operations totaling US$285 million, according to a press release. Announced on June 4, 2026, from Amman and Washington, the decision marks a new phase in the institution’s long-standing commitment to Yemen. The framework, titled “Better Livelihoods and More Jobs Amid Fragility,” outlines the strategy for the next five years. It comes at a defining moment for the country. The thesis is clear: building Yemen’s future requires immediate investment in livelihoods, jobs, and institutions.

A decade of conflict has shrunk Yemen’s real GDP per capita by 58 percent, pushed more than three-quarters of the population into poverty, and left half of Yemen’s children stunted. Yemen’s private sector has been an important source of resilience throughout the conflict. Key sectors such as agriculture and fisheries offer growth and jobs potential. The new CPF is designed to build upon and strengthen these foundations. The World Bank Group has maintained an active presence in Yemen, with a current portfolio of approximately $2 billion across nine active projects.

The new framework focuses on three core outcomes: improving nutrition, expanding access to electricity, and strengthening agribusiness, mariculture, and fisheries. It reflects a strategic shift toward greater selectivity, partnership, and localization. A key cross-cutting enabler is increasing the participation of women in society and the economy. The approach includes stabilizing household consumption and nutrition, improving women’s access to services, and linking women to sustainable livelihoods. The private sector remains central, with efforts to attract investment, including by the Yemeni diaspora.

“Yemen’s future has to be built now,” said Stéphane Guimbert, World Bank Division Director for Egypt, Yemen and Djibouti. “This means creating real opportunities for Yemenis, especially women, and strengthening the institutions that will carry the country forward.” Khawaja Aftab Ahmed, Division Director for the Levant, Iraq, and Yemen at IFC, added that Yemen’s private sector has been a critical pillar of economic resilience. The four operations approved span health, water, urban services, and governance. They put the CPF’s ambitions into action immediately.

The Yemen Health, Nutrition, and WASH Project (US$94 million) will deliver services to vulnerable populations, with over six million people receiving outpatient services. The Yemen Improved Water Management and Irrigation Project (US$153.6 million) will help expand access to water, sanitation, and hygiene services from 3.4 million to 6.4 million people by 2030. The Yemen Integrated Urban Services Emergency Project II Third Additional Financing (US$21 million) will benefit up to 1.75 million people. The Modernizing Public Institutions and Systems in Yemen Project ($20 million) will strengthen public financial management and statistical capacity. The CPF is supported by the Yemen Resilience, Recovery and Reconstruction Trust Fund, co-financed by the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Switzerland.