Resettlement Action Plan (RAP)

Yemen LNG believes that the issues of resettlement and compensation of project affected people as defined in the World Bank Guidelines are of critical concern. To this end, a detailed description of resettlement and compensation measures was set out in the Resettlement Action Plan (RAP) which was published in June 2007 in full accordance with World Bank and IFC policies and guidelines. In developing the original RAP, Yemen LNG’s approach has been to balance its obligations entered into in 1995 with the Republic of Yemen, with the requirements of applicable Lender environmental and social standards.

Under the terms of the Gas Development Agreement (GDA), Yemen LNG and the Yemeni Ministry of Oil and Minerals (MOM) agreed that MOM would make available all the public land that Yemen LNG would require for the conduct of its operations. Where land, surface rights or buildings required by Yemen LNG for the conduct of its operations were privately occupied or owned, the purchase, lease, or clearance would be effected on terms to be negotiated with the owner or occupier in accordance with applicable law. The implementation of this agreement is in cooperation with a Government appointed Compensation Committee (CC) which, assisted by the General Authority of Land Survey and Construction Planning (Land Authority) and various sub-committees, have been responsible for identifying affected households, communities and other collective groups along the ROW, negotiating and determining the compensation due. At the same time, Yemen LNG have been responsible for identifying and compensating specific livelihood impacts on the ROW and coastal region. In order to inform the RAP, Yemen LNG completed various studies, not only relating to the project’s impact on the fishing sector, but also on households and communities along the ROW.

Significant sections of the RAP have, of necessity, been managed, implemented and monitored by MOM and its CC, however Yemen LNG continue to act to ensure that the process is completed in line with World Bank & IFC requirements.  In addition Yemen LNG has had direct responsibility for dealing with the compensation and restoration of specific livelihood impacts along the ROW and for the fishermen along Balhaf and the Al Ayn Bay and these have been directly managed and monitored by Yemen LNG.

Yemen LNG contracted various consultants to assist with the preparation of the 2007 RAP – one specialising in fisheries and another specialising in social science for communities along the ROW. In addition Yemen LNG also used consultants to advise on appropriate consultation and disclosure measures. Furthermore in-country social assessment consultants carried out extensive household surveys and a local legal adviser assisted with land acquisition issues. Yemen LNG has also assisted the Compensation Committee in drafting its plans and procedures and in implementing the appropriate actions.

The whole process has faced various challenges due to the fact that Yemen LNG is neither responsible for acquiring ownership of land, nor managing the compensation process as a whole.   However, Yemen LNG has complete responsibility for the compensation of livelihood activities related to land in addition to fisheries (both short and long term) and has successfully implemented mechanisms to either compensate or facilitate timely and adequate compensation for short term economic loss (STEL). 

The objective of the RAP has been to outline these measures, provide detail and show that the Project follows the Yemen legal framework and OP 4.12 as much as possible. An additional objective has been to show that Yemen LNG implemented mechanisms in coordination with MOM to monitor compliance with these guidelines, and has allocated sufficient resources to cover the costs of mitigation and monitoring.

Affected populations in Yemen fall into various categories:

• Fishermen;
• Private landowners (recognized by government);
• Public landowners;
• Tribal landowners (not always recognized by government);
• Users of public / private lands.

Although physical displacement has been successfully avoided, a limited amount of economic displacement has affected a number of people who have been compensated (see elsewhere for examples). 

During August 2011, the RAP Completion Report will be published. This will describe in detail how compliance with the RAP has been achieved throughout the 6 years since construction commenced.