The Joint Social and Economic Assessment(JSEA) has been prepared in response to a request from theMinistry of Planning and International Cooperation (MoPIC)in Yemen, and was undertaken jointly by the World Bank, theUnited Nations, the European Union, and the IslamicDevelopment Bank. The JSEA's main purpose is to assessthe social and economic impact of the crisis in Yemen, andto identify challenges and key priorities for earlyinterventions, primarily for the transition period, which isexpected to stretch into the first half of 2014. There is nodoubt that uncertainties and risks around the transitionremain and these will need to be managed and mitigated. Toreduce the risk of strategic failure it will be useful toformulate a succession of transition points marked byconsultative conferences, etc. while building coalitions andoffering a narrative of change and trust. The process willneed to deliver rapid and tangible results and focus onprioritization, appropriate sequencing, and creating broadownership through a transitional compact.