Yemen: Building a Common Vision for the Future

The National Democratic Institute (NDI), with funding from Canada, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States, the Netherlands and other donors, has been working in partnership with Yemenis since 1993. Since then NDI has worked to achieve a comprehensive solution to underdevelopment, poverty and lasting conflict through more effective, accountable and democratic governance. The existence of strong leaders from a variety of political groups and tribes, a history of dialogue and consensus building, a vibrant civil society and vibrant budding democratic institutions all contributed to many years of positive development. For years, Yemen led the countries on the Arabian Peninsula in political reform by extending voting rights to women, establishing an independent election commission, holding regular elections, supporting nongovernmental organizations, encouraging the development of a broad range of political parties and creating elected local government councils. NDI was privileged to assist Yemen in these efforts through years of locally led partnerships supported by offices located in Sanaa and Aden. Throughout its long history in Yemen, NDI has respected the country's cultural and social norms, obeyed laws and practiced funding transparency.

After the reunification of the North and South, a successful 1993 election ushered in a power-sharing government that included former southern ruling party members, moderate Islamists, tribal leaders and Northern party technocrats. Although interrupted by a brief civil war in 1994, power sharing, dialogue and democratic progress resumed, leading to a significant period of relative calm and modest economic development that lasted through most of the 1990s and early 2000s. In fact, Yemen was so well regarded on the international stage that the Government of Yemen, together with NDI, co-hosted the "Emerging Democracies Forum" which brought heads of state and government from 30 emerging democracies to Sanaa and issued the "Sanaa Declaration" on economic and political reform. The Emerging Democracies Forum remains to this day the largest international gathering ever held in Yemen. Participants in the Forum repeatedly praised Yemen's political and cultural diversity, spirit of constructive debate and resilience as it struggled to pursue democracy while addressing the many challenges of a developing country.

NDI has also long worked with Yemen's parliament, which still meets and deliberates despite the conflict. Before the Houthi takeover of Sanaa, Yemen's Parliament had become an important forum for seeking consensus on policy and exercised significant oversight over executive branch decisions. Likewise, prior to the Houthi takeover, Yemen's women and youth participated in political life through the advocacy efforts of dozens of vibrant civil society organizations across the country.

By 2009, power sharing in government had ended with the Islah Party and the Joint Meeting Parties (JMP) coalition declining to cooperate with the ruling General People's Congress (GPC). Increasingly large protests led by the southern "Hirak" groups calling for autonomy and continuing violent conflict between government forces and the Houthis in Sadaa governorate combined to bring a period of relative stability to a close. The political institutions which were still fragile became more polarized and it was clear that dialogue was needed to redesign and reset Yemen's political and constitutional structures.

In February of 2009, after much shuttle diplomacy by NDI, President Ali Abdullah Saleh, the GPC and the JMP agreed to postpone parliamentary elections, originally slated for April 2009, to produce a "National Rescue Vision" - a new political platform informed by dozens of community meetings and consultations with citizens and party members. In January 2010, with NDI assistance, a dialogue committee made up of a representative group of political and tribal leaders was formed. This committee was the first step in a process that led to the convening of the UN-sponsored National Dialogue Conference (NDC) which met in 2013 after the "Arab Spring" unrest. The NDC was inclusive of all political groups and factions including the Houthis and southern Yemen activists. While most outcomes of the NDC were accepted across Yemen and still stand as reference points, disputes over the structure of the federation and power sharing, followed by a Houthi takeover of the capital Sanaa led to the conflict which still rages today.

NDI, through partnerships with political leaders, institutions, local government and civil society, is proud to have been a part of positive progress in Yemen, but even when the situation deteriorated, NDI remained committed to Yemen and its people. Since 2013 NDI has worked with Yemenis and local organizations to support local governance, reopen roads and airports, restore needed government services and bring Yemen's political leaders together in alliances to better serve their communities. In recent years, NDI has worked to support and empower Yemenis representing political parties, civil society organizations, tribal structures, the internationally-recognized government, and other political bodies to promote more effective, representative, and responsive governance at both the national and local levels. Such efforts include facilitating dialogue and consensus-building among national political actors, supporting locally-led peacebuilding and dispute resolution bodies that promote greater community trust and cohesion, and helping build the capacity of Yemeni women and youth to play larger roles in the country's peace and political processes.

In Yemen, like everywhere else NDI works, national staff take a leading role in ensuring that programs and approaches are adapted to the local context and respond to the needs and interests of the population. Several of these passionate staff members have worked for NDI for decades, enduring danger and adversity because of their commitment to supporting a peaceful and stable Yemen whose government is representative of and works in the interests of the Yemeni people. With the recent arbitrary and unfair Houthi arrests of the Yemeni staff of many local and international organizations and embassies, including NDI staff, NDI reiterates its condemnation of these illegal and brutal actions and calls on the Houthi authorities to immediately release these patriotic, committed individuals. Despite the crisis, NDI believes Yemen's resilient political and tribal leaders are capable of working out differences and addressing persistent political and economic grievances in a way that benefits all Yemenis. As Yemeni stakeholders work on a common vision for the future, NDI emphasizes the importance of upholding a political process that respects and protects universal political, civic and human rights.

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NDI is a non-profit, non-partisan, non-governmental organization that works in partnership around the world to strengthen and safeguard democratic institutions, processes, norms and values to secure a better quality of life for all. NDI envisions a world where democracy and freedom prevail, with dignity for all.

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