Yemen’s Local Administration Ministry is committed to achieving decentralization in all provinces without discrimination, affirmed Minister Hussein Abdulrahman Al-Aghbari.
Besides noting that decentralization will be based on legal frameworks, Aghbari pointed out his ministry’s close cooperation with local authorities in the liberated provinces.
Aghbari outlined in statements to Asharq Al-Awsat the major challenges hindering the performance of his ministry, in addition to the achievements it has made since he assumed the portfolio in the current government led by Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalik.
Foremost among these achievements is the restructuring of the administrative situation in the interim capital, Aden.
Aghbari denied rumors of a separate technical project aimed at granting certain provinces individual autonomy apart from the central authority, contrary to what is stipulated in the existing law.
The minister emphasized the effort to provide additional administrative and financial powers to all provinces within the established regulatory frameworks.
“Every endeavor faces obstacles. Obstacles do not hinder those who sleep or sit idle, but rather confront those who are actively working,” Aghbari told Asharq Al-Awsat.
“There is no smooth and easy path for those who move from where they stand to where they aspire and target,” he added.
“In local administration, we navigate a challenging path, facing significant hurdles, just as the entire government does. We work in the midst of war conditions, circumstances that inhibit and restrict rather than facilitate and ease,” Aghbari explained.
Additionally, Aghbari emphasized that his ministry operates with limited resources, lacking sufficient funds.
However, he underscored the need for growth. Aghbari also referred to government efforts such as the Cabinet approving the establishment of a Local Council Development Fund."
As for rumors of a technical project being developed to grant greater autonomy to the provinces of Hadramout, Aden, and Taiz, separate from the central government, the minister dismissed these claims.
“This is baseless talk. There is no such project, and there is no technical committee formed for this purpose,” Aghbari told Asharq Al-Awsat.
Nevertheless, Aghbari emphasized that his ministry is actively working towards adopting an administrative decentralization system and granting broad administrative and financial powers to all provinces.
This is aimed at enabling the provision of high-quality services, achieving balanced development, creating job opportunities through partnerships and collaboration with the private sector, and fostering an environment for attracting foreign investments.
