Stages of the establishment of the Ministry and recourses of the administrative developments experienced up to date :-

1.    From 1962  - 1990.

After the revolution of 26 September 1962, the first government established the Ministry of Works and Transportation and identified the functions and powers of the Ministry by issuing the decree of the President of the Republic

No. (28) of the year 1963 , which also included within the  functions and competence ( the provisions of water resources for the benefit of agriculture  production ,develop engineering projects for hydro electric power generation using water reservoirs and thermal power plants, prepare detailed inventory of lands in the Republic ,show all important land mark features and facilities and identify them on the maps, undertake studies and planning for projects entrusted & undertaken by the Ministry , prepare designs and specifications for engineering works, the postal services, cable and wireless telephone services, supervise the transportation and distributions of postal items, construct roads out side the city boundaries, construct touristic roads , desert roads and defense roads. )

The terms of reference and responsibilities of the year 1963 of the Ministry of Works and Transportation did not include/cover the works of The Municipality and Rural affairs, which led to the establishment of Municipal and Rural affairs authority  on 1/7/1963 through the Republican Decree No. 31 of the year 1963 and its decision to set tasks and competence of the authority  as follows: Undertake construction &reconstructions of towns and villages , pave internal roads within cities , supervise the drinking water facilities and supply, Street Lightings and improvement of environmental health, sales of state – owned lands within the cities, provide touristic facilities and organize (regulate) the drainage system with septic tanks management.

The structure of the authority constituted of – Chairman of the Board, The General Manager for Technical affairs, General Directorate  of Financial and Administrative affairs ; and had two divisional offices ( Branches ) established at Taiz and Hodeidah Governorates.

In a later development , on 13/1/1965 , and according to the Presidential Decree No. ( 20 ) for the year 1965 to merge the  Municipal and Rural affairs authority with the Ministry of Public Works which will assume and exercise the same powers set out in the decree No. ( 31 )  for the year 1963  and to form/ establish a separate Ministry of communications.            

In the year 1967 the Republican Decree No. (31) of the year 67, The port Authority for Hodeidah port was established, which was than altered through the law No. (12) of the year 1968 , after that ,the Republican Decree No.(10 ) for the year  68  was issued , announcing the establishment of The General Directorate for the maintenance of  Al Hodeidah / Sana'a Road and construction of feeder roads , which was entrusted to the Ministry of Public Works.  

The Republican Decree No. (16 ) for the year 1968 was issued on 13/7/1968 for the establishment of The Geological Research Center , affiliated to The Ministry of Public Works.

The Republican Decree No. ( 11 ) for the Year 1970, was issued to merge the Municipal and Rural  Affairs Authority with the Ministry of Public Works and with its new name to be The Ministry of Public Works and Municipalities, then the establishment of The General Corporation for Construction and Development was conducted by law No. (14 ) of the Year 1970, which ultimately  was converted to The Highway Authority according to the Law No. (16 ) of the Year 1972, following which the establishment of The General Corporation for Water and Sewerage came in to existence by the Law No:

(13 ) of the year 1973.

Observing the growing interests and magnitude of the works involvement of the  Municipal and Rural Affairs, the Republican Decree  No: ( 5 ) for the year 1974  was issued , creating for the first time the Ministry of Municipality  which will carry out the same tasks and functions previously performed by the Municipal and Rural  Affairs  Authority.

A decree by the Command Council  No. ( 102 ) for the year 1975 was issued

regulating the institutional structure identifying the competence and involvement  of the Ministry in the areas of  Environmental Health, Technical affairs,  Land and real estates of the state, housing, statistics , Finance and Administration and Planning , designing and statistics.

Merge of the Two Ministries ( Public Works and Municipalities).

The Command Council Decree No:  ( 88 ) of the Year 1976 was issued on 31/7/1976, to merge The Ministry of Public Works with the Ministry of Municipal Affairs  in to one entity ,named as ( The Ministry of Public Works and Municipalities ) to perform the tasks and functions of the two Ministries and added to its task, the responsibility for the land registry and land records, according to  the resolution No. (12 ) of the year 76 issued by the Chairman of the command council .

The Prime minister decree No. ( 16 ) for the year 1976 , related to the establishment of Rural ( Drinking) water projects unit  was issued , similarly another  decree No. (47) of the 1976 issued by the Chairman of the Command Council to establish and organize The General Corporation for Ports and Maritime affairs.

Giving the due consideration and the economic importance of lands and real estate properties, the government separated the land and real estate affairs management from the Ministry and created a special entity "The Lands Authority " , to function independently, through its institutional administrative  establishment .

The resolution of 25/1/1977 after the ratification of the Command Council Decree No: (20 ) for the year 1977, forming "The Lands Authority"; thus ,the concern of  the Ministry for Lands and Real estate affairs was over from the date.

An additional task for "URBAN PLANNING" was added to the functions of  the Ministry , according to The Prim Minister Office  Decree No. (49 ) of the Year 1977, forming the Regional Central Council for Town planning, within the Ministry of Public Works and Municipalities.

Similarly, on , 5/7/1977, according to the Command Council Decree No. (44 )

of the year 1977, the formation of The General Directorate for Physical Planning was established , (affiliated to the Municipal sector) within the Ministry of Public Works and Municipalities.  

Separation between the Ministries of Public Works and Municipalities :  

Under the resolution of The Republican Decree No. (34 ) of the year 1979, the separation of The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, and The Ministry of Public Works  was declared, forming Two separate entities each representing its competence and functions " The Ministry of Public Works  was entrusted specializations in  Roads, mapping , lands registry , Research and Laboratories,  Rural Water Projects and Buildings.

The tasks & functions of The Ministry of Municipalities and Housing were set

In the areas of Physical Planning, projects , housing, environmental health, abattoirs , market places , public gardens and ports.

*The Establishment of board of directors for The Highway Authority came in to existence through the Republican Decree No. ( 112 ) of the year 1980.

·        The Republican Decree /resolution No. ( 31 ) of the year 1981, to establish  The Survey Authority and determine their competence.

·        The Prime Minister office Decree No. ( 5 ) of the year 1982 formed a committee to maintain the Old City of Sana'a.

·        The Republican Decree No. (24 ) of the Year 1984 , was issued on 29/5/1984 , for the reorganization of the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing.

There was not much different situation in the southern part of the country, as it is observed that, after the independence from the colonial power in the Year 1967, the Name of The Ministry at the beginning  was " The Ministry of Public Works and Transportation , which was then renamed as The Ministry of Construction and Development, and there was a separate Ministry  for Housing, which ultimately were merged in the Year 19 84 in to one entity ;

" The Ministry of Construction and Housing" which remained  well, until the unification of both parts of the Republic of YEMEN.

2.    The Period from 1990 – 2008.

On may 24, 1990 , and as a result of the long awaited and blessed Unification,

The Unity Government was formed , according to the Republican Decree No. ( 1 ) for the Year 1990 , the two separate Ministries were formed ;

The Ministry of Construction and Development,

and

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning

Identifying the tasks and functions of each Ministry accordingly, The Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning was established according to the Republican Decree No. (20 ) of the Year 1992 and the Ministry of Construction and Development was declared through the Republican Decree No. (31 ), of the year 1993, which identified the organizational tasks and functions of the Ministry, also established at the same time through the Republican Decree No. ( 35 ) of the year 1993 ; "The General Corporation for Slaughter Houses " affiliated to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning.

According to the Republican Decree No. (1 ) for the Year 1994 , once again

the reintegration of the Two Ministries viz: The Ministry of Construction and Development and The Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning was applied,

accordingly, the Republican Decree No. ( 12 ) for the Year 1995, was issued , identifying the regulations and terms of references for tasks and functions of the Ministry .

According to the Republican Decree No.(5) for the year 1998, the establishment of the General Corporation for Road & Bridges came in to existence, and according to  the Republican decree No. (64) for the Year 2001,the Ministry was renamed as " The Ministry of Public Works and Urban Development.

In the restructuring process of the Government and according to the Republican Decree No. ( 105 ) for 2003, The Ministry was renamed as

" The Ministry of Public Works and Highways " it's current name.