A Memorandum of Understanding （MOU） between the Government of Yemen and the Yemeni private sector was signed today in Washington DC to foster an enabling environment for business creation and youth employment.

“This is exciting news，” John D. Sullivan， Executive Director of the Center for International Private Enterprise （CIPE） remarked. “This is a first of its kind partnership between the Yemeni government and private sector to establish a working framework that will support the critical transition process in Yemen.”

With the objective of promoting inclusive economic development that will create jobs and foster peace， the MOU calls for a formal dialogue mechanism between government and private sector， the creation of a Joint Committee on Small and Medium Enterprises and private sector engagement in value chain development. It also calls for reforms to reduce corruption， protect private property， and provide the requirements of a suitable investment environment for the private sector that is attractive for local and foreign investment.

Paolo Lembo， Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme （UNDP） in Yemen sees this as a positive step for the country. “We have an unprecedented opportunity to harness the potential of the private sector to give jobs and hope to the young men and women of Yemen，” Lembo said.

The MOU was signed at a joint UNDP-CIPE event， by Yemeni Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Dr. Mohammed Al-Maitami， and Chairperson of the Yemeni Federation of Chambers of Commerce Mohammed Abdo Saeed Anam.

This initiative is part of wider efforts to address youth unemployment. The Government of Yemen， UN development agencies and the World Bank Group recently adopted the MDG Acceleration Framework （MAF） that identifies fast-track solutions for poverty reduction in Yemen by improving rural livelihoods and creating employment for women and youth.

Yemen is at an important crossroad in its transition. The transitional government under President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi and Prime Minister Khaled Bahah is embarking on the implementation of recommendations from a historical 565-member National Dialogue Conference （NDC） that concluded in January 2014.

These recommendations， referred to as the NDC Outcomes， include the reform of state institutions to accountably and effectively manage public services， justice， security， and the economy to create job opportunities and development for the widely impoverished population， especially for the youth and women. A number of NDC outcomes are sensitive， requiring tactful political negotiations to be moved forward.

A Constitutional Drafting Committee is currently drafting a new Constitution aligned with the NDC Outcomes that will later be shared for review and consultation with the public.

也門政府和私營部門今日在華盛頓特區(qū)簽署備忘錄，為貿(mào)易與青年就業(yè)創(chuàng)造一個良好的環(huán)境。“這個消息非常激動人心。”美國商會國際私營企業(yè)中心主任John D. Sullivan評價。這是也門政府和私營部門第一次建立這種支持也門重大突破的工作框架。“該備忘錄呼吁兩者間建立正式的對話機(jī)制，建立中小型企業(yè)聯(lián)合委員會和讓私營部門參與價值鏈的發(fā)展。也呼吁反腐改革，保護(hù)私人財產(chǎn)，提供創(chuàng)造吸引外資的合適環(huán)境。也門正處于重大突破的十字路口，這項突破的執(zhí)行始于2014年舉行的，有565位成員參加的國家對話大會。

[http：//www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/presscenter/pressreleases/2014/11/18/government-and-private-sector-of-yemen-hold-dialogue-in-support-of-yemen-s-economic-development/]