US embassy trains CSOs on management and good governance

The United States Embassy today announced the first-ever graduation of 30 Yemeni Civil Society Organizations from the Civil Society Management Unit of the Center for Business Administration (CSO-MU). The training was made possible through the Responsible Governance Project of the U.S. Agency for International Development’s (USAID).

The representatives of the CSOs successfully completed a five-week basic training course to help the CSOs reach international standards.

“An effective Yemeni civil society is key to democracy taking firm root in Yemen,” explained USAID Mission Director Robert Wilson.

USAID’s Responsive Governance Project supported the establishment of the CSO-MU in February 2012 in partnership with the Sana’a University Center for Business Administration. The CSO-MU’s main objective is to build the capacity of Civil Society Organizations in Yemen to effectively act as advocates for society.

The CSO training consisted of three levels - basic training, advanced training, and certification. The CSO-MU invited 30 CSOs to participate in the five sessions of the basic training course. Over five weeks, the CSO representatives took courses in management, good governance, policy formulation, advocacy and outreach, financial management, and financial sustainability.

The Embassy recognizes that a successful political transition, economic recovery, and addressing Yemen’s humanitarian needs will require strong, independent, sustainable CSO organizations that can effectively operate in their respective local environments. This program fits within a series of Embassy programs that help build the capacity of these local, Yemeni CSOs.