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Yemen and the Future of Local Governance:
Strategic Reflections
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Written by: Mustafa bin Khalid
London, 15/12/2024
Yemen and the Future of Local Governance:
An Analysis in Light of the Outcomes of the National Dialogue and the Responsibility of Corrupt Elites
Introduction
Great Yemen, with its profound history and rich cultural and geographical diversity, is at a critical juncture in its history. The growing calls for reconsidering the structure of the state and its mode of governance have become more urgent than ever. Given the repeated failure of successive political elites to manage the country fairly and equitably, exploring solutions that enhance the role of regions in managing their local affairs has become both legitimate and necessary. This must, however, be pursued within a comprehensive national vision that preserves the unity and identity of the state.
The Outcomes of the National Dialogue:
(The Missing Solution)
The outcomes of the Comprehensive National Dialogue, which represented a historic consensus among various Yemeni parties, proposed an advanced vision to address issues of governance and administration. At its core, these outcomes centered on the idea of a modern civil state based on a federal system. This system would grant each region the right to manage its own local affairs within the framework of a unified and strong state.
This system achieves several objectives, including:
1. Enhancing Local Participation:
Empowering regions and governorates to manage their resources and determine their developmental priorities.
2. Reducing Centralization:
Addressing the bureaucratic centralization that has hindered development and marginalized many areas.
3. Preserving National Unity:
Ensuring equitable distribution of power and wealth among the regions, so that no area feels excluded or marginalized.
The Responsibility of Political Elites in the Deterioration
Despite this vision, successive political elites have failed to implement the outcomes of the National Dialogue. Instead, they have deepened the crises through:
• Institutional Corruption:
State institutions have been turned into tools serving foreign, personal, and partisan interests rather than the public.
• Political Exclusion:
Marginalizing active societal forces and silencing voices advocating for genuine reform.
• Lack of Political Will:
There has been no serious effort to build a modern civil state. Instead, a corrupt centralized system has persisted, exacerbating the crises to alarming levels.
This failure has not only worsened citizens’ suffering but has also led to the disintegration of the state, the violation of its sovereignty, the erosion of its national decision-making power, and the destruction of its institutions. Consequently, various regions have begun seeking alternatives, rejecting the status quo imposed upon them.
Local Governance:
A Legitimate Right and a National Necessity
The current calls from different regions to manage their own local affairs are legitimate. However, these efforts must not go too far by serving foreign agendas, dividing the country, or undermining national identity. These aspirations align with the hopes expressed by Yemenis during the National Dialogue.
Nonetheless, these calls must not be interpreted as a push for separation or the fragmentation of Yemen. Instead, they are attempts to restore balance and ensure more equitable and efficient governance.
• Regions like Socotra, Hadramout, Hodeidah, Aden, Marib, Al-Jawf, and other governorates possess unique potentials that enable them to manage their local affairs independently. This can be achieved without the excessive centralization that has proven to be a failure.
• Local governance allows each region to directly benefit from its resources while remaining committed to addressing national-level issues.
The Role of the Federal Civil Central Government
Implementing a federal civil system based on the outcomes of the National Dialogue is the only viable path to achieving successful local governance without compromising the unity of the state.
The federal civil central government should focus on:
1. Ensuring Equitable Resource Distribution:
Through clear and transparent mechanisms that meet the needs of all regions.
2. Overseeing Major National Issues:
Such as defense, foreign policy, and the management of strategic resources.
3. Providing Administrative and Technical Support to Regions:
To ensure their success in managing local affairs.
Conclusion
The challenges facing Yemen today are the inevitable result of decades of mismanagement and corrupt political elites. Nevertheless, hope remains in returning to the outcomes of the National Dialogue as a foundation for building a new Yemen based on a federal system. This system would strike a balance between local governance and a civil central government.
Granting regions the right to manage their local affairs within a unified national framework is not only a response to the current challenges but also a necessary step toward achieving justice, sustainable development, and a unified, secure, and stable Yemen.
Indeed, Allah is the Ultimate Guide. He is sufficient for us and the best Guardian and Supporter.
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