I joined Sana’a, Yemen, in December 2006 and became the Task Team Leader for World Bank’s Public Financial Management and Anti-Corruption program. I led the ‘Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability’ (PEFA) Assessment in 2007 resulting in government demand for Bank assistance in PFM reforms, under which, the second phase of the National Public Finance Management Reform Action Plan (PFMAP) was developed and a new IDA-financed ‘Public Finance Modernization Project’ valued $17 million was prepared.
The project rolled out IFMIS to 17 ministries and 3 departments; Cash Management and Commitment Control Systems to 10 ministries; and, Loans and Grants Management Information System (LGMIS) to 23 PMUs.
Yemen achieved reduction in lead time taken by line ministries from 40 days to 8.5 days through implementation of LGMIS.
Our support to PFM led to a 15-point increase (5th largest in the world) in the Open Budget Index between 2008 and 2010.
As the TTL of our Anti-Corruption TA since 2007, I provided technical assistance to the Supreme National Authority for Combating Corruption (SNACC) in conducting the national survey on corruption, diagnostic review of the anti-corruption legal and regulatory framework, development of national anti-corruption strategy, and, building a Civil Society Coalition against Corruption (CCAC).
I prepared and supervised the Yemen Accountability Enhancement Project valued $6 million under the MENA Transition Fund and led policy dialogue with government leading to major policy and legislative decisions.
I also built a civil society coalition against corruption, comprising of 16 CSOs for raising demand for good governance and hold government officials accountable for their corrupt acts.
I was also part of the Bank’s task team on the Civil Service Modernization Project (CSMP); Institutional Reforms and Development Policy Grant (IRDPG); and, the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) Implementation.
I also supervised and provided implementation support to the IDF-financed Legal Aspects of WTO Accession