Since 2021, Yemenis have become more strident in their calls for new and better ways of providing aid. Yemeni experts have warned that prolonged cycles of short-term humanitarian aid can entrench dependence and have called for a transition toward development approaches that could set the foundation for a sustainable post-conflict economy. Despite vastly different interpretations and positions over what development…

During the conflict in Yemen, the government-run Central Bank of Yemen in Aden (CBY-Aden), and other government-aligned economic stakeholders have argued for a policy that would rationalize humanitarian and broader aid transfers to support the provision of foreign exchange (FX) to critical commodity importers. This could benefit the economy at large and specifically support the stabilization of food prices, a…

In October 2021, the Sana’a Center published a series of reports, When Aid Goes Awry: How the International Humanitarian Response is Failing Yemen. Based on extensive research and interviews with 73 key informants, the reports looked at the failures and challenges of the humanitarian response. Findings pointed to a deeply flawed response – one in crisis, of questionable quality, hobbled…