The Deputy Governor of Yemen's Taiz Province, Dr. Abdulqawi al-Mukhlafi, affirmed that Saudi Arabia is a strategic partner for Yemen, and its role has not been limited to political support for legitimacy but extended to include economic support, humanitarian response, and funding for development and reconstruction projects.

He said, in an interview with 'Okaz' newspaper, that in light of the difficult economic conditions Yemen is experiencing, the Saudi support had a significant impact in enhancing the ability of state institutions to continue performing their functions and alleviating the suffering of citizens, pointing out that Saudi support in Taiz province is clearly present through quality projects that directly address citizens' needs in the sectors of education, health, roads, energy, and water, reflecting a deep understanding of development priorities and confirming that the relationship between the two countries is based on a genuine partnership that goes beyond relief support to capacity building and achieving sustainable development. The Deputy Governor of Taiz touched on several important topics:

• How is the situation in Taiz province and the condition of its people and residents?

•• Taiz is not just a province that faced war; today it represents a national model of resilience and management under exceptional circumstances. It has borne double burdens due to the siege and targeting of infrastructure, and received large numbers of displaced people, which placed unprecedented pressure on public services and limited resources. Despite this, the local authority, with support from the Presidential Leadership Council, the government, and regional and international partners, managed to maintain minimum services and gradually work on restoring state institutions and improving performance in several sectors. We realize that the scale of needs is still large, and the effects of the war have not ended, but we believe that Taiz has moved from crisis management to gradual reconstruction, relying on the will of its people, state support, and development partnerships that are beginning to bear fruit.

Saudi Arabia is a strategic partner for Yemen

• Tell us about Saudi support for Yemen in general and for Taiz province in particular.

•• Saudi Arabia is a strategic partner for Yemen, and its role has not been limited to political support for legitimacy but extended to include economic support, humanitarian response, and funding for development and reconstruction projects. In light of the difficult economic conditions our country is experiencing, this support has had a significant impact in enhancing the ability of state institutions to continue performing their functions and alleviating the suffering of citizens.

As for Taiz province, Saudi support has been clearly present through quality projects that directly address citizens' needs in the sectors of education, health, roads, energy, and water, reflecting a deep understanding of development priorities and confirming that the relationship between the two countries is based on a genuine partnership that goes beyond relief support to capacity building and achieving sustainable development.

• What about the support of the Saudi Program for the Development and Reconstruction of Yemen and the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center for the province?

•• The Saudi Program for the Development and Reconstruction of Yemen is today one of the most important development partners in Taiz province, operating according to an integrated development vision targeting the sectors most connected to citizens' lives, under the supervision of Ambassador Mohammed Al Jaber, who gives Taiz special attention and care for implementing quality projects there.

In education, the project of the Faculty of Medicine at Taiz University is being implemented with all its modern facilities and equipment, along with the establishment of educational complexes and a technical and vocational institute for girls, contributing to the preparation of qualified cadres that meet labor market needs. In the health sector, support includes the establishment of a specialized hospital for cancer treatment to be an educational and referral hospital, in addition to a rural hospital in Al-Mawasit district, enhancing health services in the city and countryside.

As for the roads sector, the program contributed to the rehabilitation of the Hijat al-Abd road, a strategic artery linking Taiz to the temporary capital Aden, and preparations are underway for other urban road projects, foremost of which is the rehabilitation and maintenance of most city streets connecting districts, in addition to Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Tourist Road, the vital artery linking the city to Jabal Sabr and Al-Arous summit, which has major tourism, economic, and social significance, and after rehabilitation will have a direct impact on improving economic movement and tourism revitalization in the province.

In the energy sector, the project of the government electricity plant with a capacity of 50 megawatts represents one of the most important strategic projects awaited, as it will restore government electricity service to Taiz city after more than a decade of interruption, and will constitute a turning point in improving public services, encouraging investment, and stimulating economic activity.

The program's projects also extended to the coastal districts of Taiz, through implementing road and hospital projects and supporting educational institutions, reflecting the comprehensiveness of the development vision.

As for the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center, it continues to play a pivotal humanitarian role through implementing water, health, food security, and shelter projects, most notably the project to support water sources in Taiz city, which will contribute to alleviating one of the most pressing crises. We view these projects as an investment in the stability of the Yemeni people and the future of the province, greatly appreciate this fraternal role, and look forward to expanding areas of cooperation in the coming phase.

• What services are missing in the province, and what helped you face challenges?

•• Taiz's needs today go beyond temporary solutions and require strategic projects that rebuild infrastructure on sustainable foundations. At the forefront of these priorities is the government electricity plant project, as a gateway to improving various service and economic sectors, along with the seawater desalination project from Mocha to Taiz, which we see as the strategic solution to fundamentally end the water crisis. The province also needs to complete road projects, especially the rehabilitation and maintenance of most city streets connecting districts, and the rehabilitation of Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Tourist Road linking the city to Jabal Sabr and Al-Arous summit, due to its importance in stimulating commercial and tourism activity, in addition to sewage projects, hospital expansions, and development of educational institutions, commensurate with the population density and the economic and scientific role Taiz plays.

Despite limited resources, what helped us endure is the integration between the efforts of the local authority and the government, the unlimited fraternal support from Saudi Arabia, the support of donors, and above all the exceptional will of the people of Taiz, who proved that development can continue even in the most difficult circumstances.

Improved security situation in Taiz

• What about the security situation in the province, and how do you manage it?

•• The security situation in Taiz is witnessing a gradual improvement relative to the circumstances the province is going through, thanks to continuous coordination between the local authority, the military establishment, and security agencies.

We work according to the principle that security and development are two intertwined paths, so we focus on strengthening the rule of law, combating crime, and developing the institutional performance of security agencies, enhancing citizens' confidence and providing a stable environment for investment, work, and production.

Despite the proximity of the front lines, the province has succeeded in maintaining a reasonable degree of stability, and we constantly strive to develop this performance to keep pace with citizens' aspirations.