Country background and context

The scars of over a decade-long crisis linger across every aspect of life in Yemen. Over five million people remain internally displaced and 18.3 million (52 per cent) of the Yemeni population experience food insecurity. Essential public infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, leaving millions without access to clean water, healthcare, and education. Businesses and entrepreneurs -the backbone of jobs and livelihoods- are left to navigate damaged infrastructure, disruptions along crucial value chains, and instability within the banking sector.

State institutions responsible for the provision of these basic services, public economic infrastructure and regulatory stability have seen their capacity constrained, while financial resources have shrunk dramatically or disappeared altogether.

Compounding these structural challenges is Yemen’s acute vulnerability to climate change. As one of the world's most climate-vulnerable nations, Yemen faces compounding environmental pressures, including worsening water scarcity, erratic rainfall patterns, prolonged droughts, and increasingly frequent extreme weather events such as flash floods. With over 75 per cent of the population residing in rural areas and relying heavily on rainfed agriculture and pastoralism, climate shocks directly undermine food security, accelerate groundwater depletion, and erode rural livelihoods. Environmental degradation and water stress act as key risk multipliers, placing additional strain on fragile public service systems and driving disputes over resources.

This underscores the importance of investing in institutional capacity, economic development, food security, social protection, and climate change adaptation. These investments go beyond improving roads, expanding access to public water networks, or providing schoolbooks. They help establish the essential conditions for sustainable development, strengthen public institutions, and lay the foundations for lasting peace.

UNDP's role and approach in Yemen

UNDP’s presence in Yemen is anchored in a clear and resolute mission: to support Yemenis in overcoming the multifaceted challenges they face and to build a path towards sustainable human development.

For more than 50 years, UNDP has worked with national and local institutions, communities, and partners to support Yemen's development priorities through integrated programmes that address the country's evolving challenges.

After more than a decade of conflict, Yemen continues to face a complex economic, social, environmental, and security crisis, with 22.3 million people in need of humanitarian assistance. As one of the poorest countries in the Arab States, Yemen remains highly vulnerable to economic shocks, climate change, and prolonged instability.

UNDP's work focuses on addressing the underlying drivers of vulnerability while strengthening the capacities of institutions and communities to support sustainable development. UNDP Yemen delivers integrated programmes across governance, economic recovery, climate change, water, energy, and environmental management, helping institutions and communities restore livelihoods, improve essential services, and create the conditions for long-term development.

Operational capacities 

• Presence and operational reach: With offices in Yemen and Jordan, UNDP ensures robust programme delivery, project oversight, donor relations, and partnership management.
• Flexible and responsive execution: UNDP can rapidly adapt to emerging crises and support immediate needs, early- and long-term recovery. As an integral component of the Humanitarian-Development-Peace (HDP) nexus, UNDP ensures responses are integrated to provide both short- and long-term development solutions to Yemenis.
• Strong operational capacity and transparency: UNDP applies a proactive risk management approach to maintain high standards in the procurement of goods and services and the management of human and office resources.