Saudi Development and Reconstruction program for Yemen

The Saudi Development and Reconstruction program for Yemen, a program established by Royal Decree of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud in 2018, aims to provide economic and development support across all fields to the Republic of Yemen, improve infrastructure and the level of basic services for the Yemeni people, and provide job opportunities, in cooperation with the Yemeni government, local authorities in the governorates, and civil society organizations.

Projects

Since its launch, the Saudi Development and Reconstruction program for Yemen has implemented three hundred development projects and initiatives in fourteen Yemeni governorates, covering eight core and vital sectors: education, health, water, development programs, support and development of government capacities, energy, transport, and agriculture and fisheries.

Strategy

The Saudi Development and Reconstruction program for Yemen contributes to achieving stability in Yemen and establishing the foundations of security and peace through development projects and initiatives implemented by the program, to improve infrastructure in the areas needed by Yemeni citizens, through its offices distributed across Yemeni governorates, by following up on work and supervising it directly, assessing needs from the field, raising reports on the progress and completion of work, clarifying challenges, learning lessons on the ground, and understanding the impact and reflections of projects, programs, activities, and initiatives on beneficiaries, to find appropriate and sustainable development solutions. 

Achievements

Energy

The program implemented twenty-eight development projects and initiatives in the energy sector, contributing to improving efficiency and operational capacity. The program oversees the granting of Saudi petroleum derivatives provided to operate power stations in the Republic of Yemen; the most recent was the signing of an agreement for a grant of Saudi petroleum derivatives with a total value of USD 200 million to provide 250,000 metric tons of petroleum derivatives to the Republic of Yemen. The latest included completing the procedures for a grant of USD 422 million, for which supply procedures were completed over a full year, as an extension of previous grants totaling USD 4.2 billion, which contributed to economic stability, strengthening the Yemeni government's budget, increasing the purchasing power of Yemeni citizens, improving security conditions, enhancing the services sector, improving citizens' living standards, increasing the average daily service hours for operating power stations, and ensuring the activation of self-operation of electricity generation stations in Yemen. It also helped improve the living conditions of Yemeni citizens, increased the capabilities of Yemeni institutions working in the electricity sector, reduced power outages and the monthly loss rate, and contributed to easing the burden on the Yemeni government's budget.

Water

In the water sector, the Saudi Development and Reconstruction program for Yemen delivered sixty-two development projects and initiatives to manage the water resources system, diversify water sources, and increase the efficiency of water distribution in urban and rural areas.

Education

The Saudi Development and Reconstruction program for Yemen launched sixty development projects and initiatives that supported education and learning opportunities by providing teaching opportunities for male and female students and ensuring a motivating and inclusive environment. They contributed to inclusive and safe access to education and provided educational facilities, including model schools, a gifted center, universities, and vocational laboratories equipped with integrated general and specialized facilities, computer labs, and spaces for extracurricular activities.

Health

The Saudi Development and Reconstruction program for Yemen worked to strengthen the capabilities of the health sector by implementing forty development projects and initiatives, including building, rehabilitating and equipping hospitals and medical centers, and building the capacities of their staff. The program signed a contract for the project to operate and manage Aden General Hospital in Aden Governorate, at a cost of SAR 330,537,081, benefiting 438,000 citizens annually,and the program approved the establishment of King Salman Medical City in Al Mahrah Governorate with a capacity of 110 beds, serving Al Mahrah and neighboring governorates when operational, in addition to specialized centers for dialysis and reproductive health,and the program provided support to seventeen medical centers by supplying them with medical equipment and devices,and thirty ambulances allocated to support the health sector,and fifteen highly equipped emergency call units, as well as highly equipped rapid response vehicles.

Agriculture and fisheries

The Saudi Development and Reconstruction program for Yemen contributed to achieving self-sufficiency in food by implementing twenty development projects and initiatives to support the agriculture and fisheries sector. These included promoting the use of modern agricultural technologies and systems, increasing the rate and quality of production, stimulating sustainable food production, and empowering male and female farmers. Boats with engines were distributed to fishermen in Al Mahrah and Hadhramaut, and beneficiaries were trained in their use. Farmers were trained in agricultural operations and modern agricultural techniques, and supported with methods to reduce the impact of pests on the agricultural economy.

Transport

The Saudi Development and Reconstruction program for Yemen completed thirty-eight development projects and initiatives in the transport sector in the Republic of Yemen, contributing to increasing the efficiency and capacity of ports, the readiness of airports, the safety of vital roads, and enhancing the efficiency and performance of crossings. These include the rehabilitation of Aden International Airport, the rehabilitation of Al Ghaydah International Airport in Al Mahrah Governorate, the development and support of safety systems at Socotra Airport, the rehabilitation of Nishtun Port and equipping it with navigation devices, the development of Al Mukalla Port and equipping it with cranes to increase its capacity, increasing the capacity of the Port of Aden, and road rehabilitation projects including the rehabilitation of vital roads in Aden, the rehabilitation of internal roads in Al Ghaydah in Al Mahrah Governorate, the rehabilitation of internal roads in the Hadibu District in Socotra, the rehabilitation of the Heijah Al Abd road, which is a vital route and main artery linking Taiz Governorate with other governorates, and the rehabilitation of Al Abr road as an international and strategic connection line between governorates, improving efficiency of use and facilitating the safe movement of people and goods.

Support and development of government capacities

The Saudi Development and Reconstruction program for Yemen contributed to supporting and developing government capacities through fifteen development projects and initiatives, which helped raise the capabilities of Yemeni government institutions by training and qualifying Yemeni personnel, and supporting the private sector by qualifying suppliers and contractors,and establishing medical facilities and primary healthcare buildings and educational services facilities,as well as the National Security and Counter-Terrorism building,and rehabilitating sports halls. It also included six maritime centers on the Arabian Sea coast and three border stations on the Omani border. 

Development projects

The Saudi Development and Reconstruction program for Yemen is concerned with strengthening the social conditions of Yemeni citizens through thirty-nine development programs, ranging from the economic empowerment of Yemeni women, to programs empowering women, youth and communities,and environmental sanitation, and supporting livelihoods and living standards, to move from the stage of humanitarian and relief assistance to the stage of development and reconstruction, in cooperation with development partners in Yemen from international organizations, state institutions, civil society institutions, and private sector representatives, which is reflected in commercial and economic activity and daily life, revitalizing service and production sectors, and increasing their efficiency and capacities.