This week in Amman, Jordan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Yemen announced two new strategies aimed at informing private sector engagement and renewable energy investment in Yemen.
It was shared that the protracted crisis in Yemen has resulted in many vital business communities moving abroad, with bolstered economic growth in the country requiring providing the private sector community with an enabling environment for development as a pre-requisite for doing business.
This, it said, includes investment in clean energy solutions, which would consider the environment while supporting the thousands of households, public facilities, and businesses struggling with regular access to electricity.
As such, the strategies consider the Yemeni private sector as a partner in key areas within the context of recovery and reconstruction, including the provision of reliable, clean energy.
The UNDP’s new Private Sector Engagement Strategy, developed in consultation with the Yemeni private sector and in partnership with DeepRoot Consulting, emphasises a “dynamic and inclusive partnership” with the Yemeni private sector to drive green, inclusive economic development, create jobs, and improve Yemen’s standards of living.
Meanwhile, UNDP Yemen’s new Mixed-Renewable Energy Investment Plan was developed in collaboration with Firnas Shuman Consulting Firm.
While most areas in Yemen lack access to sustainable energy, with electricity cuts exceeding twelve hours a day, the investment plan suggests an on-grid and off-grid solution for clean energy, aiming to restore critical services, expand solar access, and reduce system losses in the short term.
UNDP Yemen Resident Representative Zena Ali Ahmad said: “We want to emphasize the importance of building the capacity of the private sector and increasing its participation in recovery and reconstruction efforts through investment facilitation, skills development, and market access support.
“Together with local and international partners, we are shifting towards a greener economy in Yemen, with increased renewable energy options and a focus on widespread sustainable, inclusive development.”