A discussion session was held in Al-Turbah town, Taiz governorate, on the private sector vision for recovering economic activity in Taiz governorate and future options.
The session was organized by the Studies and Economic Media Center (SEMC), the Community Development Committee in Taiz, and the Economic Reform Team (ERT). It was attended by Deputy of the Local Council for Local Development in Al-Shimayatain district, Mr. Muhammad Mahmoud. It aimed to discuss the draft matrix prepared by SEMC on the economic reality of the governorate based on the economic environment, resources and impact of the war on the economic constituents, Opportunities and challenges were also discussed with the aim of coming up with a clear future vision to improve economic conditions.
At the opening of the session, in which a number of businessmen, members of the Community Development Committee in al-Turbah town, economic experts and academics participated, Mr. Muhammad Mahmoud said that the local authority exerted all available efforts to improve the economic conditions in the governorate in light of the current war and the divisions it created, dividing the governorate into three fragments. He pointed out that such a situation compounded the decline of the economic conditions in the governorate.
Mahmoud added that the war created a tragic reality that permeated all aspects of life. He pointed out that the infrastructure was severely damaged and the security system collapsed after the coup. This situation had far-reaching impacts and created challenges to the local authority in bringing things back to normal conditions. The local authority faced challenges that hindered it from playing its role in collecting available revenues and having government institutions and facilities to resume working.
Mahmoud called for intensifying investment in the fisheries and agricultural sectors, removing administrative or security obstacles to investment, and supporting self-employment opportunities and small enterprises.
Mahmoud concluded, “We hope that this workshop will come out with practical recommendations that will help improve the economic situation in the governorate.”
For his part, Executive Director of SEMC, Mohamed Ismail, stated that this session came within a series of meetings targeting the governorates of Taiz, Hadramout, Marib and Aden, and aimed to discuss the diverse ramifications of the economic reality of these governorates based on the economic environment, resources, and the effects of the war on the economic constituents, in addition to discussing opportunities and challenges to come up with a clear future vision in order to improve the economic conditions in the governorate.
For his part, Chairman of the Community Development Committee in Taiz, Mufid Al-Huwaish, welcomed the attendees and those in charge of preparing this economic matrix that would analyze the economic conditions in the governorate, calling on the participants to present their ideas and observations that would contribute to developing and improving the matrix.
"This meeting is an important opportunity to discuss the economic conditions in the governorate and to develop proposed solutions to the economic problems facing the governorate, especially in this tragic situation the governorate is going through as a result of the war and the five-year siege imposed on it," Al-Huwaish added.
During the session, participants discussed means of developing visions, solutions and opportunities of investment and dealing with current and future challenges, besides discussing the mechanisms to be worked on during the next phase.