Report
The Essential Role of Local Governance in Yemen

The challenges to peace are myriad
This paper assesses the historical context through which the local councils came to prominence, their role in decentralization and governance, the challenges they have faced through the uprising and civil war, and their essential role in any negotiated cessation of hostilities and post-conflict reconciliation.
Download ReportThe Essential Role of Local Governance in Yemen
To provide a balanced view of the challenges facing local governance in Yemen, this paper focuses on three specific areas of the country:
- Sanaa, which is currently under the control of the Houthis and their allies;
- Wessab, in central Yemen, currently controlled by local councils in coordination with the central government in the capital; and
- Aden in South Yemen, currently under the nominal control of the internationally recognized government.