Round Table on Yemen’s Water Policy  Reforms and the Role of the World Bank [Archives:1999/38/Business & Economy]

Ismail Al-Ghabiry
Yemen Times
On September 12 and 13th , 1999, the World bank held in Sana’a, a round table on water Management in Yemen – the Role of the World Bank.
The overall purpose of the round table was to elicit key stakeholder’s views on the impact effectiveness and relevance of the World Bank’s water Management Policy and Program in Yemen, as part of the global evaluation of the World Bank’s Water Management Policy.
Objectives of the Round Table
The purpose of the round table was to solicit, discuss and evaluate views of key Yemeni stakeholders on the following topic areas:-
-The evolution of water sector policies and programs in Yemen and the underlying causes of this evolution.
-The role of the World Bank and its evolution and lessons learned from previous water management activities, funded by the World Bank, other donors and the government.
-The future role(s)and ways to improve the World Bank’s effectiveness in supporting effective water management.
-To solicit input from key stakeholders from selected Middle Eastern and North Africa (MENA) countries on ways to improve the World Bank’s water resources management program in the region.
The two-day round table brought together some 50 stakeholders to elicit frank views about the impact, effectiveness, and relevance of the World Bank’s water resources management program in Yemen.
Globally, the World Bank is evaluating the implementation of its 1993 Water Resources Management Policy, in order to formulate a new Water Resources Sector Strategy in 2000. As part of this endeavor, the World Bank is undertaking focus country studies in each of the Bank’s six regions.
The workshop presented an opportunity for stakeholder from Yemen to informally critique and provide feedback on the World Bank’s water resources program. Other stakeholders from the region have also been invited to present their views on the bank’s role in their respective countries. Donors have also been invited.
The World Bank has a mission in the country, and for this round table, two persons have come to Yemen with different missions to review Yemen’s Water Policy Reforms and the role of the World Bank. Ismail Al-Ghabri, Economic Editor has conducted the following interview:
Mr. Anwar Sahooly, Chairman of the Technical Secretariat for Water Sector Reform, delivered a power point presentation, which stated his personal and opinion on the evolution of the water sector of Yemen and the role of the World Bank.
The presentation entitled “Evolution of Yemen’s Sector: Driving Forces and Constraints, a Yemeni Perspective” was followed by a World Bank perspective and working group discussions and working group discussions on the assessment of Yemen’s water sector.
How do you evaluate the round table proceeding?Also, What is its significance and outcome?
It is significant that the World Bank chose Yemen as a venue for this very important MENA regional event, not only because of the serious challenges paused by the acute water crisis in Yemen, but also to review the Yemeni water policy reforms which started in 1995. The Round table presents a rare opportunity for Yemen’s water sector stakeholders to meet and have first hand discussion with top World Bank water thinkers and strategists and other stakeholders from the region and exchanges views and experiences. The round table was a two-way critical evaluation of the Yemeni experiences on the one hand and the role of world bank in this respect, on the other, including lessons learnt and the future agenda.
Q: Did the round table reach a consensus on these issues, and how was is its rating in this evaluation?
A: The round table has been designed to provide a fresh input to the World Bank water policy reform process. That is why, a frank informed critique was invented. A consensus was not particularly set out as an objective at this phase of an on going process.
About the evaluation of projects implemented by the World Bank in Yemen, Mr. Keith Pitman, Senior Evaluation Officer said the following:
We have two periods before 1995, in the water supply and agricultural products in Yemen. Those projects were implemented particularly on the issues of the ownership sustainability and in terms of paying and getting users to be involved in the design and management of those projects. The other reason is that the government was in significant changes, the comprehensive framework was missing. So, it technically not good. The reason is that the bank was in total change. First, the bank was with a new management policy, which introduced the comprehensive approach. Concerning the water policy framework to make a comprehension in this sector. It has started from the big picture to deal with the most important problem, and it proceeded to reach the specific usage. As we came to Yemen, we aimed to know what the problem is and that the solution for this problem should have seen a very significant change after 1996, in the way the project identified and designed the policy project. So, those projects became much and much better. However, from the evaluation of this activity, there are some problems. First, there is no sufficient intention for the policy, and no focus in some areas. The other is that, the local issues are very weak and also, there is a need for capacity building in Yemen. The other problem is of the agriculture and how much water supply it takes. The project aims at arranging the usage of water because the agriculture is going on a wide extension.
Q: Why did you choose Yemen to hold this workshop ?
A: We chose Yemen because it is a country where you find the water crisis, and it is in need of a solution. It is a task case for us to offer our assistance to Yemen.
Q: How do you see the participants ?
A: Well, I was really delighted with the participants. We are happy to see a strong discussion and hear new opinions from them. We are listening carefully to their comments about the problems that we are facing. By this, we can establish our understanding about Yemen, and get positive results of what we are doing.
Q: Why do you use the concept of Globalization ?
A: Because we are interested in the evaluation of what we are doing. By choosing this case, we can deal with the difficult problems of Yemen, and the way which we need to change.

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