Republic of Yemen

About Yemen

Yemen is one of the poorest countries in the Arab region, thought it is ranked 154 on the Human Development Index (HDI), which places among low human development countries. Ever since reunification of the country in 1990 its relative position on the HDI index has remained steady, with very slow progress towards attaining the MDG goals. At 3%, the country has one of the highest population growth rates globally, with the population expected to double in 23 years to around 40 million. This increases the demand for educational and health services, drinking water and employment opportunities. Yemen faces a severe water shortage, with available ground water being depleted at an alarming rate. The Yemeni economy is caught in a jobless slow growth cycle leading to stagnant per capita incomes and rising levels of unemployment, particularly amongst the youth.

The analysis contained in the Common Country Assessment (CCA) 2005 has identified the following four underlying reasons for the poor outcome of development interventions in Yemen:

• Lack of transparency and participation;
• Disempowerment of women and children;
• Inequitable and unsustainable use of water resources; and
• Jobless growth, in the face of rising population.

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