November 27, 2006 Y EMEN O WNERSHIP 1. Partners have operational national development strategies a. Coherent long-term vision with medium-term strategy derived from vision 1. Yemen has a Strategic Vision through 2025, adopted by the Government in 2002, which is widely recognized as the reference point for policymakers. 2. Action is being taken toward streamlining medium-term plans in line with the long-term vision. There is a constitutionally-mandated Second Five-Year Socio- economic Development Plan through 2005, linked to the Vision. The Poverty Reduction Strategy 2003-05, Yemen’s PRS, 1 refers to the Vision and the Plan. However, it is not integrated with the Plan. In September 2006, the Government completed the Third Five- Year Socio-economic Development Plan (SEDP) for 2006-10 and in October 2006 it completed the first ever Public Investment Program, the finalization of which is expected by June 2007. The SEDP continues to refer to the Vision as the reference point for development through 2025 and will become the new PRS. 3. In 2006, the Government completed a Higher Education Strategic Plan (HESP), addressing autonomy and diversification of higher education institutions as well as resource allocations and teaching. The HESP is the strategy for higher education and is expected to be integrated into the SEDP. The Government also prepared a draft HESP five-year investment plan to feed into the SEDP. A revised HESP investment plan is expected to be completed early-2007. There is also a Civil Service Reform Strategy, adopted in 1998. In 2005, the Government approved a Public Financial Management Reform Strategy and prepared an Action Plan to implement it, building on recommendations identified in a Country Fiduciary Assessment jointly prepared with external partners. A National Strategy for Decentralization has been completed following technical and policy-level committee review; consultations with national and international partners at both central and local levels were also conducted through June 2006. The National Strategy for Decentralization has been submitted to the Cabinet and approval is expected in 2006. The Government is also preparing a strategy for secondary education. The strategy is consistent with the SEDP and expected to form the basis for the Government’s prioritized investment plan in the sub-sector. There are also a Basic Education Development Strategy 2003-15, a National Water Sector Strategy and Investment Program (NWSSIP) for 2005-09, one on reproductive health and a Strategy for Women’s Development for 2006-15. b. Country specific development targets with holistic, balanced, and well sequenced strategy 4. A comprehensive approach to strategic planning is emerging. The SEDP balances focus on social protection and human development—the main focus of the PRS—with enhanced attention for economic reform, good governance and decentralization. It thus 1 The Government completed the PRS in May 2002. It finalized a Progress Report covering 2003 and 2004 in June 2005.