Committees from the NDC’s Good Governance, State-Building and Transitional Justice Working Groups met with local government officials from in Taiz governorate on Saturday.

Yassir Al-Roaini, the NDC Secretariat General’s representative, said the aim of the visit was to hear from government officials, civil society organizations and other societal segments in Taiz.

The committee members listened to descriptions of issues and challenges faced by officials in Taiz, with a particular focus on the governorate’s security situation and desired changes to Yemen’s state structure.

Concerning development, local officials said that centralization presented a roadblock to the implementation and expansion of development projects.

In reply to a question about enforced disappearances in Taiz, Local Council Secretary General Muhammad Ahmed Al-Haj said the last reported enforced disappearances came during 1978’s Hujaria events.

“We will hold meetings with the governorate’s security services to find out about any such disappearances,” he said.

The committees are expected to meet later in the day with civil society organization representatives.