Towards better water resources management in YemenUNDP signs a US $ 3.15 million program with Yemen [Archives:2003/634/Local News]

A program of support for ” National Integrated Water Resources Management” was signed last week between UNDP, the National Water Resources Authority (NWRA) and the Ministry of Panning and Development at the Ministry of Panning Office in Sana'a. UNDP and the Government of Yemen will contribute $ 2.5 million and 0.65 million respectively with parallel financing of $ 3.08 million by the Ground Water and Soil Conservation Project, the World Bank and $ 1.2 million by the KFW for Saadah Project.
The overall goal of the program is to provide a comprehensive response to water management issues in Yemen with the objective to alleviate poverty and secure basis for sustainable development. The program involves NWRA and other water sector institutions working together in a systematic manner towards improved water resources management and governance at the national, basin and local levels.
National execution modality will be followed for program management & implementation. The program includes nine components: (1) Capacity Building and Institutional Strengthening, (2) Strategic Planning, (3) Basin Level Water Resources Planning, (4) Water Governance and Basin Co-Management, (5) Integrated Wastewater Management, (6) Occasional Studies Program, (7) Improving Agricultural Productivity, (8) Support to Urban Water Sector Reform, and (9) Rural Water Supply and Sanitation. The program will capitalize on the capacities created during the previous phase and will further strengthen these. An important feature of the program will be to support the establishment of decentralized water management structure in the form of Basin Committees, and work with these structures to enforce the regulatory measures provides in the water law. The program assigns equal weight to both the preparation of basin management plans and their implementation. Institutional strengthening of NWRA and rebuilding its image, as lead water sector institution is another main thrust of the program.
The program document was signed by: H.E. Vice Minister of Planning & Development Mr. Abdulrahman Tarmoom on behalf of the Government of Yemen; H.E. Eng. Gamal Mohammed Abdo, Chairman of the National Water Resources Authority on behalf of NWRA; and Mr. James Rawley on behalf of UNDP. The project is expected to start in May 2003 and last for five years.
Officials from the technical staff of the Ministry of Planning and Development, NWRA, and UNDP office in Sana'a attended the signing ceremony.

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