The World Bank along with Ministry of Local Administration are studying ways of improving local administration in Yemen as a future step to eradicate centralization and give authorities to the country districts' local authorities.

In a meeting held Saturday, Minister of Local Administration Abdul-Qadir Hilal reviewed with a WB delegation, led by Rainfed Farming official Maria Helen, future cooperation between the ministry and the WB by preparing a special strategy on developing rural local administration.

The meeting also dealt with role of local councils in implementing the project of rainfed farming and rural development to be done in cooperation with the Ministry of Local Administration, Social Development Fund and the WB.

The minister acquainted the delegation with the government tendencies to strengthen local administration and decentralization system by means of inserting some amendments to Local Authority Law and a number of related laws, welcoming the WB partnership in this move.

He praised contributions of the WB to a number of governmental and private development activities, hailing the bank as a premier partner with Yemen.