Sana'a: The expanded humanitarian forum, organized by the International Cooperation Sector at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates in Sana'a, will conclude its sessions tomorrow, Thursday, with discussions dedicated to local organizations.
According to Yemen News Agency, a meeting of the forum's preparatory committee, chaired by Ambassador Ismail Al-Mutawakel, Undersecretary of the International Cooperation Sector, reviewed the technical arrangements for the sessions dedicated to local organizations. Ambassador Al-Mutawakel described the third day of the forum as an important milestone for expanding the scope of humanitarian partnership, stressing the need to empower local civil society organizations and enhance their roles in implementing humanitarian programs to ensure a more effective and inclusive response amid the current humanitarian challenges.
He emphasized that the participation of local organizations is not supplementary but a cornerstone of the national humanitarian response strategy. The preparatory committee is focused on enhancing the role of these organizations and preparing them to take over if some international organizations withdraw or scale down their operations.
The meeting, which included committee members, reviewed the main outcomes and recommendations of the forum's Monday and Tuesday sessions. These included presentations by various ministries, government institutions, and international and UN organizations on activities, challenges, and humanitarian interventions carried out in recent years.
The committee also discussed priorities for the third session, mainly strengthening trust and coordination with local organizations, supporting them legally, logistically, and operationally, and developing a joint actionable plan that serves the most vulnerable communities. It emphasized the need to create an enabling environment for local organizations to ensure project sustainability, reduce dependence on emergency aid, and foster economic and developmental resilience.
It is worth noting that the expanded humanitarian forum, held over three days under the theme 'Coordination - Cooperation - Trust', brings together representatives of international, UN, and local organizations to enhance coordination, exchange expertise, and discuss challenges related to declining funding and escalating humanitarian needs in Yemen.