4 December 2007
The workshop introduced BIC's work to Yemeni media and civil society organizations, and focused on the activities of the international financial institutions in the country.
BIC's Middle East and North Africa (MENA) program recently held a workshop entitled “Understanding and influencing International Financial Institutions in Yemen” at the Sana'a International Hotel on November 5, 2007. Around 50 journalists and civil society leaders working on a wide range of issues including gender, budget transparency, youth, education and human rights attended the workshop.
The objective of this workshop, which was organized with the help of the Yemeni organization Sister Arab Forum for Human Rights, was to update the Yemeni civil society organizations (CSOs) and media on the involvement of the World Bank Group, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) in Yemen. The workshop also introduced BIC’s MENA program to Yemen with an aim of assessing common areas of interest in monitoring the international financial institutions (IFIs) in Yemen.
Amy Ekdawi, BIC’s MENA Program Manager, conducted the workshop in Arabic. She presented a quick overview of the governance, policies and current trends and portfolio of the World Bank Group, the IMF and the IDB in Yemen. The presentation was followed by a discussion on effective ways to influence the policies of those institutions in Yemen. Nikki Reisch, BIC’s former Africa Program Manager who joined Ekdawi on the visit, shared some success stories as well as challenges still facing civil society groups working on reforming IFI policies. The workshop was widely reported by Yemeni newspapers and TV stations.
Following the workshop, a number of journalists and civil society leaders joined BIC’s team in meetings with staff from both the World Bank and the Bank's private sector investment arm, the International Finance Corporation (IFC). A variety of issues were raised at these meetings, including labor rights in IFC-funded projects and the 2005 World Bank-funded census of household expenditure in Yemen, which has still not been made public.
The delegation also raised questions about the Bank's failure to disclose project documents related to the proposed Institutional Reform Program, a $50 million grant which was expected to go before the World Bank Board for approval on November 13. The delegation learned that the Yemeni Government will be required to pass a new land law as one of the conditions it must meet to access the funds, and that the Parliament is currently debating the law.
BIC’s visit to Yemen lasted seven days and resulted in many requests for cooperation from civil society groups and media agencies.
For Yemeni media coverage visit the following sites
- Arab Sisters Forum affirms right to access financial info, by Abdul Wadood, November 5, 2007 (Yemen Times website)
- Newsyemen.net, November 5, 2007 (Arabic)
- Soutalgnoub.com, November 6, 2007 (Arabic)
- Sanaapress.net, November 13, 2007 (Arabic)
- Economic report criticizes finance corporations in Yemen, November 17, 2007 (Al Sahwah-Yemen website)
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