Test Drive | Page 70

Chapter  4:  Context  and  contextual  changes     Chapter  4.    Context  and  contextual  changes   Key  message:     Yemen  is  a  fragile  State  that  is  experiencing  both  violent  and  non-­‐violent  conflict.  It  has  recently   emerged  after  the  33-­‐year  rule  by  former  President  Ali  Abdullah  Saleh.  President  Saleh  created  a   complex   system   of   nepotism   and   patronage   in   which   democratic   institutions   could   not   properly   enforce   checks   and   balances.   These   institutions   were   influenced   by   elites   that   possessed   power   over   them   due   to   their   proximity   to   the   regime.   The   system   and   its   related   challenges   have   persisted   through   the   current   transitional   period.   Water   management   in   general   has   benefitted   Yemeni  elites  to  the  detriment  of  society  at  large,  while  the  lack  of  accountability  has  led  to  the   unsustainable  exploitation  of  water.       All   of   this   has   taken   place   against   a   background   of   widespread   poverty   and   a   lack   of   availability   of   water.  Although  there  has  been  a  steady  improvement  in  some  socio-­‐economic  indicators  during   the   past   two   decades,   the   progress   in   other   important   indicators   (in   particular   infant   and   child   mortality,   food   security,   and   unemployment)   has   been   inconsistent.   Some   of   the   latter   have   likely   contributed  to  the  2011  revolution  and  all  of  the  latter  were  disrupted  by  the  2011  revolution.       Socio-­‐economic   factors,   compounded   by   physical   conditions   and   changes,   render   Yemen   vulnerable  to  the  impacts  of  climate  change  and  prone  to  conflicts  between  water  users.  Water-­‐ related   challenges   (both   in   quantity   and   quality)   linger   and   threaten   to   undermine   any   socio-­‐ economic   development   made   as   well   as   to   prevent   future   development.   UNDESA   (2011)   mentioned   two   reports   from   2003   and   2010   by   the   Yemeni   Ministry   of   Planning   and   International   Cooperation,  which  concluded  that  Yemen  was  off-­‐track  with  respect  to  meeting  the  Millennium   Development  Goals.       The   largest   water   user,   the   agricultural   sector,   with   qat   being   an   important   crop   in   terms   of   monetary  values  and  water  consumption,  uses  a  high  proportion  of  the  limited  rain-­‐,  ground-­‐,  and   (spate)   flood   water   available   and   is   highly   inefficient.   The   Yemeni   government   is   facing   major   obstacles  in  providing  safe  and  secure  water  to  larger  segments  of  society.   4.1    Political  dimension   4.1.1      General  background  on  Yemen   The  present  day  Republic  of  Yemen  was  formed  in  1990  with  the  unification  of  the  Yemen  Arab  Republic  (YAR)   and   the   People’s   Democratic   Republic   of   Yemen   (PDRY).   The   two   former   states   had   sharply   contrasting   political  systems,  with  policy-­‐making  in  the  YAR  being  dominated  by  a  relatively  progressive  military  elite  who   worked  closely  with  civilian  technocrats,  tribal  leaders,  and  other  traditional  notables,  while  decision-­‐making  in   the  PDRY  was  determined  solely  by  the  Yemen  Socialist  Party  (Al-­‐Zwaini  2012).     The Political Economy in Yemen of Water Management: Conflict Analysis and Recommendations  57  of  241