The Architecture of Dependency: Political Economy of Donor Funding in Yemen

Since 2015, international donors have channelled over USD 20 billion into Yemen — one of the largest per-capita aid mobilisations in the world. The institutional returns have been negligible. This policy brief argues that the underperformance of international assistance is not a consequence of insufficient funding or adverse conditions. It is the product of a structurally distorted aid architecture — one that rewards intermediaries over institutions, activity over persistence, and performance over change. Drawing on political economy analysis, the brief identifies three interlocking failure mechanisms — donor fragmentation, ecosystem capture, and performance theatre — and offers five strategic recommendations for donors, the IRG, and the international community.