ECO News page.
This page will be updated regularly with news
relating to the Yemen-US economic and
commercial relations, and news on the Yemen - World Bank Group's relations.
[2005 ECO News Archive] | [2004 ECO News Archive]
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2012-07-07 :: Economic indicators for 2008 | | (Observer)- Under Construction -- |
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2012-07-07 :: Test | | (Testing)- another test |
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2008-10-12 :: Test2 | | (Yemen Embassy's Media Office)- test2 test2 test2 |
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2008-10-11 :: Test1 | | (Yemen Embassy's Media Office)- test1 test1 test1 |
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2008-10-10 :: Test | | (Yemen Embassy's Media Office)- test test test |
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2006-11-16 :: Donors Pledge Commitment to Yemen’s Development | (worldbank.org)- Yemen’s development partners reaffirmed their support for the country’s efforts to reduce poverty through macroeconomic stability and structural reforms. Approximately US $4.7 billion was pledged for the four-year period 2007-2010 at the fourth Consultative Group (CG) meeting of donors for Yemen, held in London on November 15-16, 2006. This is a significant increase in assistance and represents over 85 percent of the Governments’ estimated external financing needs. Before this meeting, Official Development Assistance (ODA) for Yemen represented less than US$13 per capita—about one-third of the average for Least Developed Countries (LDCs).
The meeting was hosted by the UK Government and was sponsored by the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). It was jointly chaired by the Government of Yemen, led by H.E. Ali Abdulla Saleh, President of the Republic of Yemen, and the World Bank led by Daniela Gressani, Vice President for the Middle East and North Africa. The meeting was attended by senior officials representing 39 countries and development agencies.
H.E. Ali Abdulla Saleh, the President of the Republic of Yemen expressed his appreciation for the World Bank in co-chairing the meeting and his satisfaction with the support promised by the development partners to reduce poverty in Yemen. “We reaffirm our commitment to continue on the path of reform to achieve all declared objectives of economic development and social progress,” the President stated.
The meeting focused on three main topics: the economic and social progress achieved by Yemen in recent years; the challenges facing the country over the medium-term; and the financial needs to support the implementation of the Third Five-Year Socio-Economic Development Plan for Poverty Reduction and its Public Investment Program.
“The meeting represented an important step in the process of enhancing the partnership between the Government of Yemen, development partners and neighboring countries,” said Daniela Gressani, World Bank Vice President. H.E. Abdulrahman bin Hamad Al-Attiyah, GCC Secretary General, added that, “This conference is a significant undertaking to provide for the development needs of Yemen and to establish long term partnership between Yemen and the donors. We look at this conference not as an end, but as an important step at the beginning of the road.”
During the meeting, the Yemeni delegation briefed the international donor community on the political, social and economic developments that had taken place since the unification of the country in 1990. The delegation noted the priority that the government places on improving Yemen's investment climate and strengthening democratic institutions. Yemen’s commitment was evidenced by its adoption and implementation of the National Reform Agenda in 2006. Good progress had been made in a number of areas, including governance, with the adoption of anti-corruption measures, financial disclosure for public officials, procurement transparency and greater independence for the judiciary and the supreme audit institution. The Yemeni delegation noted that more support was needed to deal with the key challenges facing the country, namely declining oil-resources, the need to generate non-oil and pro-poor growth, high population growth, poor human capital, water scarcity, poor infrastructure and limited access to social services.
“Today, we are here to start a new chapter together: A new era of partnership for development, supported by a renewed commitment to urgent reforms,” stated Mr. Abdulkarim Al-Arhabi, Yemen’s Minister of Planning and International Cooperation. “This emerging new partnership is tri-partite comprising Yemen, traditional donors and the Gulf Cooperation Council member countries. Our GCC brethren have been fully involved in this landmark meeting to the mutual benefit of all sides,” he added.
Gareth Thomas, British Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, DFID, said that, “I am delighted that the conference has been such a success for Yemen. The UK is proud to become the leading EU aid donor to Yemen with our support rising to $222 million over the period to 2011, a 400% increase. The pledges will help improve the quality of life for the people of Yemen by reducing the number of children who die needlessly every year, allow more young girls to go to school and give the economy a welcome injection of funds.”
Participants were encouraged with Yemen’s progress and commended the Yemeni government’s efforts as well as the recent success of holding Presidential and Local Council elections. Development partners also noted that while the near-term outlook remains manageable, the expected rapid decline in oil production raises serious concerns about long-term sustainability. Yemen must urgently promote non-oil activities, with emphasis on pro-poor growth.
In closing the meeting, the chairperson noted that the Consultative Group meeting was an important event for the Government of Yemen. It had given the Yemeni delegation an opportunity to interact directly with international and regional donors and make a strong case for their involvement in Yemen’s development process. There was also agreement to hold a follow-up meeting in Sana’a in May 2007 to review progress in implementation.
It should be noted that Yemen is a World Bank Group IDA recipient country, with per capita GDP of US$600. It has a population of 21 million, with nearly half at or below the age of 15. About 42 percent of the population—largely living in rural areas—is below the poverty line (1998 figure). |
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2006-11-16 :: President meets senior US official | (sabanews.net)- President Ali Abdullah Saleh received in London on Thursday Daniel Sullivan, deputy of US deputy Secretary of State for Economic and Commercial Affairs who is currently participating in the Consultative Group Meeting for Yemen's development partners.
In the meeting, they discussed bilateral relations and mutual cooperation between the two countries as well as the most important topics in the agenda of the London meeting.They discussed also the US support for the development process in Yemen.
The US official confirmed the US support for Yemen, conveying greetings of US president George W. Bush and US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to president Saleh and their wishes of further progress and prosperity for Yemeni people and leadership.
He said that US has also a plan to put Yemen among the beneficiaries of US Millennium Challenge Account. |
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2006-11-16 :: donors gifted Yemen 4.7 billion | (sabanews.net)- The secretary-general of the Gulf Cooperative Council (GCC) stated that the total amount the donors have donated for Yemen's development reached USD 4.7 billion.
Abdul-Rahman al-Attiyah, who is taking part in the Consultative Group Meeting for Yemen's development partners, said the meeting successfully meets the requirements of development in Yemen and to qualify it for GCC membership.
Al-Attiya said in a press statement that representatives of more than 40 countries and international organizations attended the meeting, giving surety that Yemen and the donors countries exchange great trust.
"The event was a chance for trustful dialogue between donor countries and Yemen. It was successful," said al-Attiya. |
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2006-09-13 :: Yemen, USAID sign aid agreement | (sabanews.net)- An aid agreement was signed Wednesday at the ministry of Planning and International Cooperation between Yemen and the US Agency for International Development (USAID).
Under the agreement, the USAID allocates $ 1.8 million as a financial assistance for building capacities in the governmental authorities
concerned with the reform programs.
The USAID aid aims at building capacities in the Supreme Judicial Council, the Central Organization for Control and Audit, Yemen
Journalists Syndicate, Higher Council of Tenders and Taxes Authority.
Minister of Planning andInternational Cooperation, Abdul-Kareem al-Arhabi signed and USAID's president and US ambassador to Sana'a
Thomas Krajeski on behalf of the American side. |
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2006-09-12 :: Yemen, WB sign agreement on rainfed agriculture | (sabanews.net)- Yemen and World Bank signed on Mondayin Washington DC an agreement.
Under the agreement, the World Bank would finance rainfed agriculture and livestock wealth projects worth at cost of $ 20 million.
The projects will be carried out in Sana'a, Hajja, Hodeidah, Lahj and Mahweet.
The objectives of these project are to improving seeds production and protecting water and dusts on the lands basically depending on rains, increasing production of livestock wealth, providing veterinary medicine and rurala gricultural development. |
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2006-09-06 :: Ministry of Oil Signs an agreement with the IFC | (sabanews.net)- A partnership agreement was signed on Wednesday between the Ministry of Oil and Minerals and the International Financing Corporation(IFC), of the World Bank group, relates to bolstering the framework of mining policies in Yemen.
Under the agreement, the IFC undertakes the task of revising the laws of mining and its internal by laws as well as its financial regulations and studying the administrative procedures pertaining to mining sector and re-designing them and putting a national mining policy, in addition to revising the functions of the Authority of Geological Survey and MineralResources(AGSMR) in corporation with Ministry of Oil and Minerals.
The agreement was signed by Dr. Esmael Al-Gand, chairman of the (AGSMR),on behave of our country, and Mr. Golerez Huda , on behave of the IFCdirector of Middle-East and North Africa in the Corporation.
Dr. Al-Ganad, stated that this agreement aims at attracting the private sector to invest in the field of high valued minerals under the department of projects partnership concerning to the Middle-East and North Africa. He indicated that the agreement is due to help creating many job opportunities and provides more financial support to the economic domain in the country. |
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2006-06-27 :: Yemen, WB discuss small enterprises development | (sabanews.net)- The Premier Abdul-Qader Ba-Jammal discussed on Tuesday with the Director of Investment Group for the Poor Program in World Bank (WB), Zafir Rakil results of the round table over developing small enterprises in addition to ways to promote them in Yemen.
The meeting shed light on the related aspects to introducing the expanded system of small loans and practical tools, in addition to defining partners in this operation, governmental, social, private sector or local authorities.
Ba-Jammal asserted the human, social and economic results for this system and the importance of the role of donors to it, noting the necessity of a true partnership to achieve an active development. |
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2006-06-24 :: Yemen, US. discuss judicial cooperation | (sabanews.net)- Minister of Justice Ghazi al-Aghbari discussed here on Saturday with the representative of US. Attorney Office Representative Robin Berry aspects of the judicial cooperation between the ministry and the syndicate.They discussed possibilities of supporting the Yemen's judiciary system.
Al-Aghbari asserted his ministry's keenness to benefit from the support, which the syndicate would offer in the field of training and qualifying Yemeni judicial employees.
He also listened to an explanation on programs to be executed by the syndicate, in cooperation with the ministry, to support developing Yemen's judicial system.
For his part, Berry said that the mission of the syndicate is to assist in promoting judiciary in the country. |
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2006-06-17 :: Yemen Accomplished Significant Progress, USAID Director | (yobserver.com)- Mike Sarhan, USAID mission director in Yemen, affirmed that Yemen has been witnessing very significant signs pointing in the right direction. However, he urged the government to do more. “We see decisions made and pronouncements been translated into actions” confirmed Mr. Sarhan in an exclusive interview with Yemen Observer last Monday.
Sarhan also expressed optimism for the future of reforms and development in Yemen judging from the Yemeni national reforms agenda which he said coincides with Millennium challenge account MCA criteria. He added that if Yemen continued in implementing the national reform agenda it can join the MCA within months and the grants to Yemen might be increased to US$ 400-500 million, affirming that these grants would help bring Yemen to maturity. Sarhan explained that the MCA was established to accelerate reforms in the developing countries.
He added that 70 countries were classified as candidate countries for MCA among them only 16 countries have qualified and are in. The MCA criteria are based on three categories: rule justly, invest in people, and encourage economic freedom. He said that Yemen came close to meet the MCA criteria so as to be a candidate country, because it has the political will for reform and for ensuring real development. “What we had read in a Yemeni websites about Yemen, MCA and the USAID was totally untrue,” affirmed Sarhan. He explained that the website has combined two things. “They combined some statements and some misquotes from the US Ambassador,” he added.
The truth is that Yemen has accomplished great progress so it can reapply to the MCA Board at any time when ever Yemen is ready. However, he advised that Yemen should not wait long. “You can go back in a week, or a month. But you probably cannot wait too long, because the competition is high” said Mr. Sarhan. The USAID Mission director also hammered Yemen explaining, “We have to be balanced when looking at development in Yemen.
There are problems and difficulties that hurdle the development process in the country. Among them for instance is corruption. “Corruption is a big problem but you are tackling it head on,” Mr. Sarhan elaborated. Meanwhile, he expressed satisfaction that Yemen has been combating corruption through several practical measures including the national awareness against corruption. He said the Yemeni people should be proud of the campaign, affirming his satisfaction for the accomplished reforms so far and urged Yemen to do more. Economic growth and development is another challenge. Mr. Sarhan explained the economic growth was a big challenge before Yemenis and they have to look at their resources and how to exploit them properly.
He asserted there are many promising fields in Yemen such as tourism and agriculture with some minimal intervention in these fields can achieve great leaps. He added that Yemen has good national resources and good political system compared to the rest of the Middle East. Sarhan further elaborated that looking at the United States and Europe after the Second World War and comparing that with Yemen after the reunification one will find that Yemen has achieved much faster leaps at the different levels including political, economic, and social. “I agree with the Minister of Planning and International cooperation Mr. Al-Arhabi,” he said. “You have compressed a lot of things and performed much faster in terms of reforms and achieving great development.” Mr. Sarhan asserted that Yemen was a good partner to do business with. However, he said that some people see that the high rate of population could be a personal stuck in the long term.
“We should look at the positive things as Yemenis are active and high motivated people,” he continued, “so this big population can be invested in creating more incomes to the country.” According to Sarhan, Yemen is considered a dream for the people working in the development fields due to the great potentials such as the beautiful nature of Yemen and the skills people have in addition to the support of the government as well as the potentials in the fields of tourism, agriculture and oil resources Concerning his agency program in Yemen, Sarhan confirmed that USAID is focusing on five governorates in Yemen Amran, Shabwa, Marib, Al-Jawf and Sada’a.
He added they have other activities in Socotra and else where. About their most successful projects so far, Sarhan said definitely health and education are the most successful projects. “In one of our programs we have a geographical info system, an atlas showing every single health facility in country. It shows what it has; what it needs; how many employees and how many people it serves. We are trying to do same with schools” he said proudly. He hoped they had done more in agriculture and democracy though. Concerning the upcoming presidential and local council elections, Sarhan said they are supporting the Supreme Elections Commission with keen interest in the upcoming elections.
“Yemen has invited international observers to look over this election,” he pointed out. “We will send them, of course.” The interviewer took the opportunity to discuss the deformed image of Yemen at the international media. Sarhan advised that Yemen should market itself better. He calls on the ministries of information and tourism to shoulder their responsibilities to present Yemen to the World in a better way. He added that every single person that visits Yemen usually finds things differ than what they have heard about or ever expected. “A colleague was visiting from Washington recently,” he said.
“He was writing to his friends about his impressions. And wrote: [I’m changing my views about Yemen every time I leave my hotel.]” He added that the friend of his friend replied “Yemen is the best kept secret in the Middle East.” The US official concluded that tourism could be a substitution for oil if the Yemeni tourism sector becomes qualified “tourism potentials are unlimited and because Yemen’s history is incomparable. The potentials are unlimited. It’s probably the best kept secret in World,” Sarhan concluded. |
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2006-06-15 :: Training course for reporters on joining WTO wrapped up | (newsyemen.net)- A special training course for economic news reporters who are reporting Yemen’s negotiations with the World Trade Organization (WTO) was wrapped up in Taiz on Wednesday.
The three-day course, organized by the Information Training Center in cooperation with the Sana'a-based Friedrich Ebert Foundation, aimed to train journalists specialized in covering economic issues how to deal with the issue of Yemen’s joining to WTO.
Resident representative of the Friedrich-Ebert Foundation, Felex Ekenberg called journalists to focus on positives and negatives of joining WTO and to extend awareness of advantages and how to avoid disadvantages.
Deputy governor of Taiz Abdul-Qader Hatim pointed in his speech that Yemen opened its markets for foreign goods before joining WTO, urging reporters to play role in this regard. |
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2006-06-15 :: President receives US ambassador | (sabanews.net)- President Ali Abdullah Saleh received Thursday the American ambassador to Yemen Thomas Krajeski.
The discussions centered on a number of issues related to mutual relations and bilateral cooperation between Yemen and the USA.
They discussed US support for democracy, development process and reforms in Yemen.
They discussed the regional developments and situations, specially in Iraq and Somalia as well as efforts of two countries to settle
stability and peace in the region and the African Horn.
Krajeski hailed Yemen program of the economic, financial, administrative and judicial reforms, assuring his country's support for Yemen's developmentplans. |
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2006-06-12 :: PIC Minister meets with WB delegation | (sabanews.net)- The Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Abdul-Karim al-Arhabi conferred with a delegation from the World Bank(WB) the level of executing health projects estimated at US$ 27 million.
Al-Arhabi previewed the contents of project which was first established in Sana'a, Ibb and Hodeidah.
The WB delegation hailed the level of implementing the project in the past period. |
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2006-06-12 :: WB increases loans to Yemen to $ 40 m | (yobserver.com)- The World Bank has announced a raise in loan amounts to Yemen at 40 million USD after the Bank reviewed economic indications in the country.
The bank said that the raise came in response to improved levels of carrying out reforms which have been adopted by the government early of this year.
Minister of Planning and International Cooperation said that the WB steps reflected development in the level of projects that are being implemented by the Bank in Yemen. He pointed out to the coordination between the governmental authorities and executive units of those projects. |
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2006-06-06 :: Yemen, US trade cooperation discussed | (sabanews.net)- Aden governor Ahmad al-Kuhlani discussed here on Tuesday with the ambassador of United States of America to Sana'a Thomas Krajeski possibilities of benefiting from the US investment opportunities in the Aden Free Zone in framework of enhancing the bilateral relations between the two friendly countries.
Al-Kuhlani briefed the US ambassador on the facilities granted for the investors in the Aden Free Zone by the Yemeni Investment law in
additionto the economic and developmental developments the Aden.
For his part, the US diplomat confirmed his country's readiness to investin the Aden Free Zone, expressing his happiness to visit Aden and for the developments the Aden governorate witnessed in various fields. |
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2006-06-05 :: USAID funds rehab of Thula’s cisterns | (yementimes.com)- Like many Yemeni mountain villages, Amran governorate’s historic town of Thula collects rainwater in cisterns for domestic consumption, which allows the community to make the best use of scarce water resources. However, rainwater can become contaminated as it flows through collection channels into the cistern. Also, water stored in open cisterns can become spoiled from animal waste, trash; and dirt from clothing, shoes, hands, and buckets as women and children collect water.
Drinking contaminated water can cause various diseases, such as diarrhea, giardiasis and typhoid fever. Coming into direct contact with such water while collecting or swimming in it can cause skin rashes and possible skin infections.
To help improve and protect the health of those living in the Thula community, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is sponsoring rehabilitation of Jaadan Cistern, the town’s main cistern. The “new” cistern has a traditional filter system and five hand-pumps enabling users to fetch water easily.
The cistern renovation plan carefully considered the town’s historical and cultural importance, by using mainly natural stone materials and the traditional “qadad” plastering method. The contractor selected for the project has a long family tradition of using qadad and is an expert in the special techniques required for its proper application.
The cistern renovation is part of a series of community-based environmental health interventions funded through USAID’s Partners for Health Reform project. USAID’s environmental health program components were designed via consultations and focus groups conducted with community and local council members in Thula district. Additionally, the project surveyed 269 households in 12 villages to determine local knowledge and practices related to water, sanitation and hygiene.
A locally elected project oversight committee composed of five men and five women will work with the local council to raise community members’ awareness, including children, about their role in keeping the cistern clean and assuring its maintenance. |
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2006-05-31 :: Workshop on WTO's treaty on health and plants' health | (sabanews.net)- Project of the Marketing Information funded by the European Union (EU) organized here on Wednesday a workshop on the World Trade Organization's treaty (WTO) on health and the plants' health.
Agriculture Deputy Minister Abdul al-Malik al-Arashi made it clear that WTO's treaty on the health and plants' health put the required procedures for the safeguard ad protection of the man,
animal and plant life.
The workshop will discuss two work papers presented by the EU expert Kolim Haloran on impacts of the WTO's treaty on health and the plants' health and how to apply the treaty's commitments with more transparency.
Around 40 participants are taking part in the workshop. The discussions will focus on the goals, conditions and the nature the WTO treaty and its characteristics. |
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2006-05-30 :: Public Works Project Judged 3rd Best in World | (yobserver.com)- A public works project in Yemen has been judged to be the third best in the world by the World Bank.
Yemen's public works project was chosen as one of four of the “most successful projects across the world” according to the WB classification.
The Yemeni public works project was ranked third after Cambodia and Latvia, while Albania came fourth.
The Public Work’s Project was established in 1996 as part of the social security network, and started its activities in the beginning of 1997 when began its first phase, financed by the WB with a soft loan of US$25 million and US$3million by the Yemeni government.
The project focuses on implementing small projects that aim at employing unskilled labour, and aim at creating job opportunities to decrease unemployment.
At the same time the project aims at providing the essential services for citizens, especially in the remote areas.
The General Manager of the public works project Engineer Saeed Abdu Ahmad said that during the first phase of the project 435 projects were implemented in different Yemeni governorates.
He added that these projects provided 64,000 monthly job opportunities.The evaluation of the project was based on field studies conducted by WB experts.
A team from the WB visited Yemen in 2004 and conducted an evaluation study for the performance of the project, which had completed its second phase at that time. The team were impressed by its success.
The WB then sent a second team in 2005 to evaluate the performance, again praising its success. |
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2006-05-25 :: Yemeni fisheries ripe for investment | (yementimes.com)- Yemen possesses vast fisheries located off its coasts that have significant commercial potential. If exploited properly, the revenue gained could cover the current budget deficit and improve the incomes of poor families. However, the obstacles blocking the development of the fisheries are the drawing-up of implementation plans along with finding private sector partners to increase the catch brought annually, marketing, canning, and exportation.
While many fishermen criticize the government for not devoting enough energy to the development of Yemen’s fisheries and associated businesses, Minister of Fisheries Mahmoud Ibrahim Saghiri says the fishery management and conservation project, the “Fish Fifth Project,” represents one of the government’s fields of investment fixed in the Third Five-year Plan (FYP) for development and poverty alleviation. It is anticipated that the project will begin implementation by the end of this year lasting until 2010. The project’s budget comes to $35 million and is supported by the World Bank, the European Union as well as the government.
Saghiri maintains that the project constitutes a big boost to the fishery sector as it focuses on developing infrastructure related to fisheries and supports the process of monitoring quality levels thus ensuring the ability to maximize the value of future exports. Besides that, the project envisions the construction of research stations along the coasts of Yemen, extending from Midi on the Red Sea, to the Gulf of Aden and ending at the shipping area adjacent to the Sultanate of Oman on the Arabian Sea. The project also includes the construction of ports, wave-breakers, and wholesale fish markets in the coastal governorates as well as the rehabilitation and expansion of existing ports.
The Minister noted that the project will establish fish breeding centers, which are expected to form the nucleus of fish culture in Yemen. He added that the “Fish Fifth Project” includes support for the restructuring of the Ministry of Fisheries aimed at decentralizing its overall activities, the initiation of statistical system and information network, the preservation of current fish stocks, and the beginning of monitoring and inspection of Yemen’s fisheries.
Seeking to increase the average annual fish production to 700,000 tons a year by 2010, the Ministry has lobbied for the restructuring of fish exports in the next FYP so that the industry becomes value focused instead of concentrated on maximizing the sum of exports. The draft FYP aims to increase production growth rates and fish exports, while preserving the fish reservoir in a manner that sustains Yemen’s fisheries. Additionally, it plans to improve the quality of the catch and how it is marketed. It is expected that the plan will increase fish exports by an annual rate of 8.5% so that the catch will amount to 124,000 tons by 2010.
The Ministry of Fisheries’ plan envisions increasing involvement of the private sector in the comprehensive development of the fishery sector with the enactment of policies attracting domestic and foreign capital. The government has encouraged the private sector to invest in fishery-related development and the establishment of a national fishing fleet. |
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2006-05-20 :: Hadhramout governor meets WB delegation | (sabanews.net)- Hadhramout Governor Abdul Qader Ali Helal met here on Saturday with the World Bank (WB) delegation headed by Eleksi Bakelian who is presently visiting Hadhramout governorate.
In the meeting, Helal discussed with the delegation level of carrying projects funded by the WB in the top of which project of the Mukalla Water and Sanitation project.
Helal highly appreciated the support presented by the WB to implement many projects in the province in especially project of the water and sanitation.
For his part, the WB official expressed his comfortable of continuation in implementing the project according to the technical studies.
On other hand, the WB delegation had paid a visit to location of Mukalla sanitation project in Gail Ba-Wazer. |
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2006-05-16 :: Yemen, WB discuss health cooperation | (sabanews.net)- The Minister of Public health and population Abdul-Karim Rasa held talks here on Tuesday the Director of Human Resource Development Department for Middle East and South Africa in the World Bank Michael Romotsky.
The talks focused on the activities implements of project of health sector support in the ministry, adding to discussing the future cooperation fields in the other health sectors.
The international official expressed his comfort over the successful projects that funded by WB in Yemen. |
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2006-05-16 :: WB hails Yemen experience in social care | (sabanews.net)- Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Amat al-Razaq Humad met here on Tuesday the World Bank mission headed by director of Humanity Development Sector of Middle East and South Africa Michael Romotsky.
During the meeting, they discussed the mechanisms of social insurance in Yemen and means to improve labor market.
The WB official evaluated efforts by Yemen to present the best social services for people and to improve social insurance.
He promised to convey the successful experiences of social care in other countries to Yemen. |
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2006-05-16 :: USA supports Yemeni agricultural development | (sabanews.net)- Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation Jala Faqira said his ministry would implement, in the three coming years, some of development programs and projects, utilizing USA aid that reaches $6 million.
Faqira said that the aid would be used to complete structuring the ministry, some projects of the veterinary and agricultural quarantine in addition to establish several marketing centers for the Yemeni agricultural exports in the foreign Markets.
He also said that the ministry finished its studies related to planting sunflowers in areas such as Tehama and Lahj and then to manufacture sunflower soil locally to cover the market demand, pointing out that the ministryis coordinating with the private sector to implement its projects in the coming period. |
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2006-05-16 :: Four Centers for Epidemics and Bird Flu Control | (newsyemen.com)- The Yemeni government in cooperation with the US Agency for International Development USAID) will start procedures to set up four regional centers for early controlling animal epidemics and bird flu.
General director of the Animal Wealth at the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation Dr. Ghalib Fadhel al-Eryani said that USAID would allocate a part of its annual grant for Yemen to support the project. The project will be implemented by the Public Works.
Al-Eryani said two centers would be located in Tehama, one in Hadramout and another in Marib. He said all centers would be equipped with veterinary libraries, controlling apparatuses and qualified veterinary cadres.
Dr. al-Eryani said that the French government asked Yemen to lift bans on importing chicken from France confirming that cases of bird flu are existing in far-off regions from the exporting markets. He said that France submitted a proposal to the International Epidemics Office to identify the exact regions where bird flu subsists to stop importing chicken from those regions, but allow importing from other regions.
He said the International Epidemics Office would hold a meeting in Paris to discuss the proposal. “If the proposal is endorsed by al countries, Yemen will agree with them,” said al-Eryani. |
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2006-05-16 :: Talks with WTO go in favor of Yemen | (newsyemen.com)- The success of talks between Yemen and the World Trade Organization (WTO) depends upon the ability of Yemeni negotiators to get concessions that Yemen wants and how Yemen can make more benefits and less loses, said the deputy director of communication and coordination with WTO in the Ministry of Trade and Industry Khalil Saeed al-Sabari.
Al-Sabari said in a statement to NewsYemen that talks with WTO are going in favor of Yemen.
Regarding the imports to Yemen, al-Sabari said that the secretary-general of WTO issued a resolution that gives the least developed countries some special concession.
He explained that an article of WTO’s law stipulates that countries have the right to accept or refuse goods according to their religious or environmental or heath specifics.
Asked about difficulties that Yemen faces to join WTO, al-Sabari said other countries that joined WTO have faced the same difficulties such as the WTO request to reduce customs tariffs on commodities.
About the 167 questions that WTO gave Yemen to answer, al-Sabari said the questions included economic, political, trade, legislative areas, in addition to question on laws, pricing policy, intellectual property and procedures to protect it, and any bilateral agreements between Yemen and other countries.
Al-Sabari insisted that indigenous products could compete foreign products, which are currently existed in Yemeni markets.
“We can notice that the local products are competing foreign ones,” said al-Sabari, calling local companies, government and private, to keep up with the international qualities and standards and to put plans to compete other companies and offer the best quality.
Yemen started talks with the World Trade Organization (WTO) over joining the organization in 1998 and it was given the position of observer in WTO. |
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2006-05-15 :: Yemen, IMF hold talks on money laundry and funding terror | (sabanews.net)- The Committee of Money Laundry (CML) headed by Ahmad Ahmad Galib held talks here on Monday with the delegation of the InternationalMonetary Fund (IMF) who is currently visiting Yemen to get acquaintance with Yemen's efforts in fighting money laundry
and funding terrorism.
During the talks, head of CML offered detailed explanation on efforts exerted by Yemen to fight terror in the framework of international community cooperation in war on terror.
He reviewed Yemen's needs for technical aids to make legislative reforms and to rehabilitate actors in this fields.
For their part, the delegation's members expressed their comfort for procedures taken by Yemen's government in terms of fighting terror
and money laundryand legislative reforms,showing the readiness of IMF to offer the needed technical aid. |
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2006-05-15 :: Finance minister meets WB official | (sabanews.net)- The Finance Minister Dr Saif Mahoub al-Asali met here on Monday with the manager of Humanitarian development of the Middle East and South Africa in the World Bank (WB) Meckle Retourski.
In the meeting, they discussed economic developments on the Yemen during the previous period in addition to the policies and procedures that help in achieving the needs of growing the economy.
They discussed network of the social insurance and projects of the social protection being implemented by the WB in addition to programs of activating the reforming in the two sectors of education and health. |
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2006-05-14 :: Al-Arhabi calls donors to help Yemen in social care | (sabanews.net)- Ministry of Planning and International cooperation with assistance of World Bank organized on Sunday a workshop on strategies of the social care.
In the opening session attended by Education Minister Abdul- Salam al-Jawfi, the planning minister Abdul- Karim al- Arhabi pointed out to theimportance of the dialogue between Yemen and donors in fields associated with social protection strategy.
He also talked about the difficulties and challenges that face the reality of social care in Yemen, pointing out to the efforts of the government in supporting the social care.
Al- Arhabi called on donors such as World Bank to play active role in supporting the level of social care in Yemen.
The deputy of planning minister for studies sector Mutahr al- Abbasi presented a detailed explanation on the social care condition in Yemen and the achievements in this field.
For his part, the representative of World Bank Mustafa Rways delivered a speech in which he praised efforts of the Yemeni government to improve the social care. |
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2006-05-14 :: TI and WB delegations to visit Yemen | (sabanews.net)- A delegation from Transparency International (TI)and World Bank is to visit Yemen in the coming two days.
Informed sources said that the delegation would be briefed on efforts the Yemeni government exerts to implement the economic and political programs, reforming the judicial system, fighting corruption, strengthening freedom and human rights.
On the other hand, European parliament delegation led by the chairwoman of the Parliamentary Committee for Relations with Gulf Countries and Yemen Lily Grouper will visit Yemen in May 20-22.
The delegation will hold talks with Yemeni officials on developing cooperation relations between Yemen and the European Union, particularly in the parliamentary field. |
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2006-05-13 :: Yemen, donor countries sign partnership memo | (sabanews.com)- Finance Ministry and international organizations and donor countries signed on Saturday a partnership memo to implement the strategy of public financial reform.
In accordance with the memo, the international organizations and donor countries will offer technical and financial support to strengthen the Yemeni government efforts to implement the strategy.
The memo comes in the framework of enhancing mutual cooperation fields between Yemen and donor countries and organizations to execute the reform programs including management, financial, and economic.
The memo is seeking also to provide help in preparing the general state budget, reforming the tenders law, establishing the technical and financial powers and improving transparency.
The memo was signed by finance minister Saif al-Asali and ambassadors of USA, Netherlands, Germany and representative of UNDP and director of WB office in Sana'a. |
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2006-05-13 :: Aden governor meets US officials | (sabanews.net)- Aden governor Ahmed al-Kohlani met here on Saturday a US delegation from American and Middle East Partnership Initiative.
In the meeting, the governor listened to the mission of the delegation to Yemen to see activities of the Yemeni non-governmental organization and their role in serving society as well as required support for theirfuture role.
Meanwhile, the governor met chairman of Amidst organization, Washington based, along with director of the Amidst Institute in Aden.
They discussed aspects of the current cooperation between the organization and the governorate in educational fields as well as vocational education. |
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2006-05-10 :: | (newsyemen.com)- The International Funding Corporation (IFC) announced it would grant new private investment projects in Yemen an amount of $200 million.
Representative of IFC in Yemen Saad Sabrah said the corporation would offer grants for chemical projects and educational, industrial, health and cement industry projects. He said that IFC offers 30% technical aid and 70% funds.
Sabrah said in a workshop organized by IFC in cooperation with the Yemeni Cooperative Society for Producers and Exporters of Marble, Granite and Decoration Stones (CSPEMGDS) and the Geological Area Authority (GAA) that IFC works in 60 countries, 21 of them in the Middle East and North Africa, and that it has 600 employees.
Chairman of CSPEMGDS, Ahmad Ali al-Shaleef said the marble and granite sector in Yemen is “an orphan sector needs someone to warrant”. He considered it as the second sector after oil in Yemen in terms of its revenues and benefits.
Al-Shaleef told NewsYemen that the marble in Yemen is existing in big quantities with 60 different colors. “Every governorate in Yemen contains marble and decoration stones,” said al-Shaleef.
Al-Shaleef called upon the concerned bodies to look after the marble and granite sector and to ease transporting and exporting such products.
“No single bank supports this sector,” said al-Shaleef. “ Yemen has amounts of marble, granite and decoration stones that may provide Yemen with billions of dollars, but no one supports collecting and manufacturing.” He said the companies, currently working in Yemen, do not even meet 10 % of the market demand.
Chairman of the Geological Area Authority Ismael al-Janad said CSPEMGDS should work hard to pursue investors to invest in that sector and to coordinate communication between the private sector and the government to create a specific mechanism to thrive such vital sector. |
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2006-05-10 :: Forum on donors conference to be held | (sabanews.net)- The Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Abdul Karim al-Arhabi will open here on Thursday a Forum for international donors.
The Manger of the International Cooperation in the Ministry Nabil Shaiban said that the forum would be attended by ambassadors of the donor countries and representatives and the regional directors of some donor organizations.
The forum would discuss preparations for the donors conference to be held in London in the coming November, Shaiban said.
He added that the forum would discuss several issues related to the comprehensive development in Yemen, fighting poverty, the international support to Yemen in the coming five years, in addition to discussing the draft of the thirdfive-year plan 2006- 2010. |
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2006-05-10 :: WB experts to arrive in Yemen | (sabanews.net)- A delegation from the World Bank (WB) and the World Bank Institute led by the Manager of Human Resources and Development Sectorat the bank is to arrive in the coming few days on a visit for several days.
The deputy minister of planning and international cooperation for the development sector Motahar al-Abasi said that the purpose of the delegation visit was to begin the dialogue between Yemen and WB on making salaries,labor, social insurances.
Al-Abasi also said that donors would hold a workshop on the suitable means to support Yemen and cooperation between Yemen and WB.
Concerned authorities and representatives of the donor countries and civil society organizations will attend the workshop. |
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2006-05-07 :: Health minister meets WHO and WB officials | (sabanews.net)- The Minister of Public Health and Population Abdul Kareem Rasa met here on Saturday with Director of the Mary Stas Foundation to Yemen and discussed with her fields of cooperation between the Organization and Yemen especially the health activities.
On other hand, Rasa discussed with delegation of the World Health Organization (WHO) and World Bank (WB) experts who are currently visiting Yemen.
They discussed evaluation the medicine situation in Yemen in addition to providing the public health sectors with drugs .
For his part, Rasea appeared the Health Ministry's desire to make use of the WB and the other organizations' experiences in field of the medicine. |
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2006-05-01 :: Food Aid and Development Program Discussed | (yobserver.com)- The Planning and International Cooperation Abdul Kareem al-Arhabi met on Sunday with Mohammad Al-Kuhen, from the International Food Program (IFP), and the United State ambassador to Sana'a Thomas Krajeski.
Al-Arhabi discussed with IFP official the new regional program for 2007-2012, and a cooperation agreement between Yemen and IFP, in which the IFP will allocate US$48 million for education and health in Yemen.
Al-Arhabi also held talks with US Ambassador Thomas Krajeski concerning the development related to the Millennium Fund and the program of developmental cooperation between Yemen and the US Agency for International Development (USAID).
In addition, they discussed the food aid program and initiatives launched by the Middle East Partnership - and how Yemen can make use of it.
They also discussed arrangements for holding a donor's conference in November in the British capital London. |
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2006-04-30 :: President Saleh and US Ambassador Talks | (yobserver.com)- President Ali Abdullah Saleh held talks on Saturday with the US Ambassador to Sana'a, Thomas Krajeski.
The meeting discussed American support for democracy and the development process in Yemen.
President Saleh said he appreciated US support for Yemen in several areas, adding that Yemen was “looking forward” to increasing ties with the US, Saba news reported. Krajeski praised the level of cooperation between the two countries, particularly in the US war on terrorism.
It follows talks on Saturday between Krajeski and Rashad al-Alimi, the Deputy Premier and Interior Minister. The officials discussed security, including training of Yemeni staff, provided by the US. |
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2006-04-17 :: Dr. Al-Najar: The private sector’s role is to support the government negotiator working to protect private sector interests | (yementimes.com)- emen is one of the countries that have been trying for many years to join the World Trade Organization (WTO). Yemen’s government has thought seriously about joining the international organization since introducing its 1995 economic and administrative reforms program. Since then, the government has been coordinating its efforts in this regard.
To shed light on how far Yemen’s efforts have reached in this regard, learn about steps taken so far and what remains for Yemen to achieve its goal, Dr. Hamoud Ali Al-Najar, chief of the WTO’s Communication and Coordination Office at the Ministry of Industry and Trade was interviewed by Mohammed Khidr and Yasser Al-Mayasi.
Please give a brief account of steps already taken in efforts to join the WTO.
Coordinating steps for Yemen to join the WTO began rather early, specifically when Yemen’s government began the economic reforms process in 1995. In February 1998, the Yemeni Cabinet decreed forming a government committee grouping representatives from the Ministries of then Supplies and Trade, Planning, Industry and Finance, in addition to a Central Bank of Yemen representative. The committee was assigned to study requirements to join the WTO and determine practical steps for the accession objective.
Accordingly, a Communication and Coordination Office was created with the WTO. In the same year, the government presented its program to Parliament, for the first time incorporating WTO accession into it. That was followed by a decision issued by the prime minister to form a national committee to prepare and negotiate with the WTO.
In 1999, Yemen requested observer member status in the WTO and was accepted. A year later, Yemen applied for full membership, with its application unanimously accepted at the organization’s April 2000 General Council meeting. In July 2000, the WTO set up a working party to consider procedures and steps Yemen must follow to be granted full membership status.
The WTO’s first demand was that Yemen prepare a memorandum on its commercial policies, a request Yemen completed and presented to the organization’s secretariat in November 2002. The WTO’s accession section studied the memorandum’s contents concerning Yemen’s accord with required conditions and then accepted it.
Thus, some WTO member states began to put forth questions and queries, most of which were from the United States, the European Union, Canada and Australia. Such questions numbered 167. Yemen answered all of them, returning them to the organization in 2004, which prepared the stage for beginning the first steps to negotiate WTO accession.
Why were the replies to questions so late and were they accepted?
Answering 167 scientific questions is not an easy task. As much as possible, we tried to make our replies successful and useful in order to take the right steps toward accession. The answers were presented, thereby meeting preliminary conditions to hold a meeting between the WTO working team and Yemen’s negotiator.
The first batch of answers was accepted; therefore, we requested the first meeting November 2004 to inaugurate multi-lateral negotiations for Yemen’s accession. Our first replies were accepted at that meeting and the Yemeni delegation received a fresh group of questions from WTO members, in addition to requirements Yemen must provide.
This did not mean that it failed to answer the previous questions. Issues and queries usually arise based on answers given in a quest for accurate and more detailed replies as an advanced step in the course of negotiating accession. In addition to such explanations were demands to prepare goods and services supply, as well as a plan for legislative amendment of trade laws, including intellectual property laws. All of that was completed last October in a working party meeting.
There also was a second working team meeting to review the first goods and services offers, in addition to presenting several other documents and replies to the new explanations. This resulted in the so-called factual summary revised by the negotiating national committee before holding the meeting. After the meeting late last year, a number of WTO member states came up with several new questions, which were more accurate, analytical and detailed. That meant we had reached a very advanced stage in negotiations because there were issues the members thought needed additions.
The national committee recently met to approve replies to the third batch of questions, which we will return to the WTO secretary in coming days. Additionally, we already sent the replies to a number of experts for technical revision. So far, this is what has been done in this regard.
What is needed is to finish up discussions concerning the goods and services offers and if we receive government agreement to negotiate, we will be prepared to hold bilateral negotiations, particularly with the U.S. and the EU, as they are major parties in the organization. Negotiations with the WTO are carried out in parallel tracks. They are multi-lateral, collective and bilateral negotiations.
We have begun negotiating concerning the goods and services offers and market access for them. Other issues related to botanical health, trade impediments and customs evaluation will be discussed within collective negotiations. Answers to the new group of questions on the foreign trade system, in addition to various other requirements that should be finalized, must be made before the middle of 2006.
Do you have a clear-cut strategic vision for negotiation leading to WTO accession?
We do have a strategy. Through negotiation, Yemen seeks to achieve accession terms compatible with its trade, financial and development needs. This means that WTO member states wishing to negotiate with Yemen must take into consideration that we are one of the least developed states and aim to protect Yemen’s long-term economic and trade interests. Our strategy stems from Yemen’s circumstances and needs. To realize hoped for and targeted results requires the joining of all efforts, including those of the private sector.
Are Yemen’s negotiations with the WTO different in nature from those of other nations?
We can confirm that negotiations for WTO accession are very complicated and toilsome because they involve more than compatibility with the organization’s numerous agreements. Yemen still is in need of compatibility with many of them, in addition to bilateral negotiations regarding access to goods markets, especially fixing customs duties ceilings at certain levels. After WTO accession, those ceilings are not allowed to be exceeded except through negotiation, which may lead to offering suitable compensation. Moreover, bilateral negotiations on services are related to liberalization and opening service sectors important to WTO members.
Yemen still is among the world’s least developed countries and in need of surmounting many barriers, especially pertaining to production and export capabilities. Therefore, we hope that WTO member states, particularly the big ones, will understand Yemen’s economic circumstances and its development needs.
Is it possible during negotiations to take advantage of preferential dealing and exceptions regarding developing countries?
I would like to affirm that Yemen’s position as a developing country will be taken into consideration. WTO members have realized the difficulties facing the least developed states, including Yemen. The WTO issued a decision containing a number of guidelines and recommendations, calling on member states to consider least developed nations’ circumstances and needs during negotiations.
Consequently, Yemen’s negotiator will seek to benefit from those instructions and exceptions and opportunities from which we can benefit. For instance, the WTO’s latest decision stipulates permitting the least developed nations to enter advanced countries’ markets without customs tariffs being imposed, a right which must be taken advantage of correctly.
Since there are many unavailable circumstances, why does Yemen want to join the WTO?
This is a frequently asked question. We think WTO accession is an indisputable result of economic policies pursued since initiating 1995’s financial and administrative reforms based on belief in market strength and competition. Yemen has followed successful liberal policies and canceled the imposed licensing system which impeded competition.
Under the licensing system, a merchant was unable to import certain goods unless he obtained a license from the former Ministry of Supplies and Trade. The system was considered a detriment to competition in both internal and external trade. Moreover, the policy of replacing imported goods with domestic products did not succeed and did not achieve any purpose – not only in Yemen, but in all countries that tried it – and all proved to be a failure.
Thus, the entire world is heading toward the multi-lateral commercial system and many countries have benefited from it, especially Southeast Asian countries. As a country, Yemen is situated in an important strategic position and cannot live isolated from a world currently governed by a multi-lateral commercial order under the umbrella of the WTO. This system is governed by more than 20 agreements and dominates approximately 97 percent of international trade exchange. Does Yemen want to be away from the world? We in Yemen are open to the commercial system and to all forms of regional cooperation.
Can Yemen’s economy meet WTO conditions regarding competition abilities with other countries?
I would emphasize that joining the WTO has become an important and inevitable question. Yemen and other nations cannot remain outside this entity that is supervising world trade. Therefore, it is necessary to incorporate into it and work in accordance with its internationally agreed upon rules.
Yemen’s economy does not differ much from many of the least developed member states, as some of them possess rather less capability and potential than our economy. For this reason, Yemen will manage to incorporate into the world economy. I would like to stress that under the world system, competition with the outside is easier than competition without it. It is true that our agricultural and industrial base is not at a standard qualifying it to compete, but let’s begin working and endeavor to solve our problems.
What measures must Yemen take to develop domestic industry?
WTO accession dictates that Yemen must possess a program to develop local industry and products so that they will be acceptable at the world level when entering competition. The Ministry of Industry and Trade has an ambitious program to develop industries by building a number of industrial zones. In this regard, we plan to build three industrial zones. These projects encourage and support the private sector so that it will be able to contribute with high-quality industry and products capable of competing with other member countries’ industries. The private sector is the major axis for developing the industrial sector.
Where do you place the private sector on the map of negotiating with the WTO and have you taken its fears into account?
Negotiations to join the WTO are carried out by the government and consequently the private sector’s role is to support the government negotiator working to protect private sector interests. The private sector is not excluded; rather, the government endeavors to engage it more effectively.
Openness to the world does not mean not encouraging the private sector. On the contrary, I think openness encourages the private sector and opens the door to competition with the foreign private sector. The local private sector will not be successful unless a competitor brings technology to the local economy. For instance, some local private sector businessmen invest in many other countries, so why do we in Yemen not give priority to qualifying our local sector to invest in the country rather than the foreigner? This goal is completely in accord with steps we are taking to join the WTO.
WTO accession also will grant Yemen a certificate, according to which many foreign investors will come to invest in Yemen. The first question a foreign investor will ask is whether Yemen is a WTO member. Thus, WTO accession will create a climate whose rules are in accord with most world countries’ rules.
Dr. Hamoud Ali Al-Najar is a graduate of American Universities, specialized in economic studies. During his career, he worked as a professor at the College of Trade and Economics, Economics Department. Currently, he is chief of the WTO’s Communication and Coordination Office. |
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2006-04-17 :: Yemen to Call for Arab Help to Join WTO | (yobserver.com)- Yemen is to present a working paper on government efforts to achieve the requirements to join the World Trade Organization (WTO), in which it will call for help from Arab funds, organizations and donor countries.
The paper will be presented by a delegation, led by the deputy minister of Industry and Trade for the International Economic Relations Salem Salman, to a conference to be held in Abu Dhabi from April 18-20.
He will highlight the financial requirements and the technical and legal commitments to join the WTO.
The meeting is organized by the Institute of the Economic Policies, under the Arab Monetary Fund and in cooperation with the WTO. Arab and regional delegations will discuss their experiences in joining the WTO. |
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2006-04-10 :: International Findings on Investment and Gender in Yemen | (yobserver.com)- The International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private sector arm of the World Bank, conducted a seminar in Sana’a, to discuss the gender-related findings and recommendations of the Yemen Investment Climate Assessment with key experts and stakeholders.
The event was organized jointly with the World Bank (WB) and sponsored by the gender program of IFC’s technical assistance facility, the Private Enterprise Partnership for the Middle East and North Africa (PEP-MENA).
The objective was to present the preliminary findings and conclusions of the report while promoting discussion and receiving feedback from Yemeni businesswomen, representatives from the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, donors, and other stakeholders with an interest in gender issues.
The World Bank Group’s Investment Climate Assessments identify and prioritize investment climate constraints, benchmark progress on reform, provide cross-country comparisons of investment climate indicators, and help countries forge broad consensus on priority areas for reform.
These assessments feed into World Bank and IFC operations and technical assistance.
Andrew Stone, senior private sector development specialist in the World Bank’s Middle East and North Africa Region, presented the preliminary findings, which focused on whether changes in Yemen’s business enabling environment would have positive effects on women’s entrepreneurial activities.
The WB specialist said: “According to the presentation and participants' contributions, key investment climate factors put Yemeni women at a disadvantage as they undertake business activities.
“These include educational attainment, access to finance and services, weaknesses in the legal and regulatory system, cultural attitudes and lack of networks.”
John Speakman, lead private sector development specialist at the World Bank, who led the gender work on the Yemen Investment Climate Assessment, said: "Yemeni women have more difficulties than men in accessing collateral and establishing personal contacts in banks.”
He added that education is a key factor, “as 70% of the businesswomen who were surveyed have only completed high school."
Recommendations included integrating gender issues in policy and regulatory processes, as well as increasing business management skills training for women.
The Gender Entrepreneurship Markets (GEM) program gives technical assistance to women-owned small and medium enterprises by addressing gender-based economic barriers and by developing the capacity of women entrepreneurs, with the objective of contributing to economic growth and job creation.
Based on the results of a recent assessment and stakeholder consultation, the GEM program in Yemen has had a positive effect on the number of women-owned enterprises by improving access to finance and relevant business services.
PEP-MENA is IFC’s technical assistance facility that supports private sector development in the Middle East and North Africa. PEP-MENA focuses on improving the business enabling and regulatory environment; strengthening the financial sector; promoting the growth of small and medium enterprises and their support services, such as business organizations and consulting firms; helping restructure and privatize state-owned enterprises; and developing viable private sector and public-private partnership projects, especially in infrastructure.
The International Finance Corporation is the private sector arm of the World Bank Group and is headquartered in Washington, D.C. IFC coordinates its activities with the other institutions of the World Bank Group but is legally and financially independent.
Its 178 member countries provide its share capital and collectively determine its policies.
The mission of IFC is to promote sustainable private sector investment in developing and transition countries, helping to reduce poverty and improve people’s lives. IFC finances private sector investments in the developing world, mobilizes capital in the international financial markets, helps clients improve social and environmental sustainability, and provides technical assistance and advice to governments and businesses.
From its founding in 1956, IFC has committed more than US$49 billion of its own funds and arranged US$24 billion in syndications for 3,319 companies in 140 developing countries.
IFC’s worldwide committed portfolio was US$19.3 billion for its own account and US$5.3 billion held for participants in loan syndications. |
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2006-04-04 :: US allocates $ 11 mln for agricultural development in Yemen | (sabanews.net)- United States of America has allocated 11 million dollar as assistance to develop agricultural sector in Yemen.
In his meeting last Tuesday with Mike Sarhan, country manager of US Agency for International Development (USAID), the Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation Jallal Faqirah discussed the assistance offered by US government to set up projects to develop agriculture and animal wealth in the country, in addition to roads, health and water projects in al-Jawf, Marib, Amran, Shabwa, Saada and Abyan governorates.
They discussed measures taken by Yemen to prevent the disease of bird flu to enter the country and a plan prepared in cooperation with the agency in field of protecting Yemen from the virus through benefiting from the American experiences and building five laboratories in this regard.
The USAID country manager briefed the minister on two studies by the agency office in Sana'a to improve grape and coffee cultivation as well as ways of benefiting from marketing such products.
The minister appreciated the assistance of USAID for the agricultural sector in particular and its support for development process in Yemen in general. |
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2006-04-04 :: Hodeidah governor meets US ambassador | (sabanews.net)- Governor of Hodeida Mohammed Shamlan met Tuesday with the US ambassador to Yemen Thomas Krajeski and discussed with him possibility to support a number of service projects in Hodeida.
They also talked over the possibility to allocate a portion of the US aids to the city of Zabeed in order to renovate some of the old buildings and pave its streets in addition to implement a number of projects in the city.
In the meeting, they discussed investment opportunities in all fields, specially tourism, in Hodeida and encouraging businessmen to invest in Hodeida.
For his part, Krajeski asserted that his government would urge donors to supply tourist projects in the governorate. He praised the noticeable development in different fields in Hodeida. |
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2006-04-01 :: Health ministry, WB discuss health issues | (sabanews.net)- Minister of Public Health and Population (PHP) Abdul-Kareem Rasee discussed with the director of WB Office in Yemen Mustafa Ruwias collaboration relations between the ministry and the WB in the
field of heath.
During the meeting, they came across health programs and activities supplied be the bank in addition to the mechanism to speed the process of executing those activities according to the plans approved by the ministry and the WB. |
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2006-03-30 :: US, WB grant Public Works Project $18 million | (sabanews.net)- The US government and the World Bank (WB) granted on Thursday the Public Works Project $ 18 million to fund SOME service and development projects in different districts.
In remarks to the 26 September weekly newspaper, General Director of Public works Saeed Abdu Ahmed said that the donation would fund health and the livestock and agricultural development projects in different governorates such as Taiz, Hodiadh, Lahj and al-Jawf.
He added that these projects include extension and maintenance of some hospitals and health centers. |
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2006-03-28 :: USAID grants $ 11 mln for agricultural development in Yemen | (sabanews.net)- United States has allocated 11 million dollar as assistance to Yemen for protecting bird flu virus and set up agricultural projects.
In his meeting with Mike Sarhan, country manager of US Agency for International Development (USAID), the Minister of Agriculture & Irrigation Jallal Faqirah discussed measures taken by Yemen to protect from this virus. They discussed the US assistance for the agricultural sector in Yemen and setting projects in al-Jawf, Marib, Amran, Shabwa, Saada and Abyan governorates.
The director briefed the minister on two studies of the USAID office in Sana'a over fields of improving grape and coffee cultivation as well as ways of benefiting from marketing such products.
The minister appreciated assistance of the agency for the agriculture in the country in particular and development process in general. |
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2006-03-27 :: Ministry of Planning and UNDP discuss poverty alleviation strategy | (sabanews.net)- Poverty Control Unit at the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation, in cooperation with the UN Development Program, organized a discussion ring over the strategy of poverty alleviation.
Deputy Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Yahya al-Mutawakil noted that the goal of the meeting is to review the draft of strategy and to listen to points of view and thoughts on the topics close related to the strategy in addition to the policies presented by the government.
For her part, Philadelphia Banasri, the non-resident representative of UNDP, asserted the significance of the draft and the necessity of enriching it by opinions and thoughts. She also affirmed the participation of UNDP
and donors in the procedures taken by the government to alleviate poverty. |
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2006-03-27 :: Yemen, USA sign understanding memo over food support | (sabanews.net)- An understanding memo was inked at the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation between the Yemeni government and the United States on food support.
According to the agreement, the US government will allocate US $26 million for supporting food security in Yemen as part of the US Food Support Program for 2004.
Minister of planning and international cooperation Abdul-Karim al-Arhabi and Minister of Finance Saif al-Asali and the US ambassador to Sana'a Thomas Krajeski signed the memo.
Al-Arhabi pointed out that these allocations would be used to support development projects in different governorates in terms of rural development, agriculture, livestock and small loans. He added that the US government would contribute, according to the memo signed, to implementing the project of Baihan Hospital by US $ 2.4 millions in addition to other service projects. |
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2006-03-26 :: WB delegation to visit Yemen | (sabanews.net)- General-secretary of Taiz Local Council Mohammed Saeed Al-Haj said that a delegation from the World Bank (WB) would visit Taiz to evaluate implementations achieved during the first and second stages of the project of Taiz protection from floods.
During the visit, a new agreement will be signed to implement the third stage of the project, he added pointing out that the second stage would be ended late in this year.
It is expected to have a $70-million loan to complete the project's third stage, Al-Haj said.
On the other hand, Al-Haj said that a water construction would be opened and foundation stone would be laid for other two in Taiz governorate with a cost of 225 million during the celebrations of the 16th anniversary of the Unification Day. |
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2006-03-26 :: Yemen to show Jedda forum efforts for WTO membership | (sabanews.net)- Minister of Trade and Industry Khalid Sheikh will present on Tuesday to the coming international forum in Jeddah a working
paper on Yemen's efforts to gain the membership of the World Trade Organization(WTO).
The working paper by Yemen to the forum, organized by the Islamic Bank for Development, will highlight the results of past talks between WTO and Yemen and issues being currently negotiated with WTO, deputy minister of trade Salim Salman stated.
Salman said that during the forum interviews would be held with experts to benefit from their experiences in the WTO joining process.
The Islamic Bank for Development organized the forum to deeply discuss difficulties hindering joining WTO and conditions should be met for gaining the membership. |
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2006-03-20 :: Yemen, IMF discuss policies of economic development | (sabanews.net)- Yemen and international Monetary Fund (IMF) held
talks here in Sana'a on Monday. The talks focused on economic development in Yemen during the previous period and policies taken by the government to realize economic growth in the country.
The ways of activating role of the private sector as key elements of the development process were discussed.
The talks were co-chaired by minister of Planning and International cooperation
Abdul-Kareem al-Arhabi, Minister of Finance Saif al-Asali and governor of Central Bank of Yemen Ahmed al-Samawi and from IMF side was Vice Director of the Middle East and Center Asia Department in IMF Lorenz Bayari. Al-Asali affirmed the importance of supporting economic and financial reforms in the coming period.
The IMF official showed his readiness to support the Yemeni efforts that aim at realizing sustainable development. |
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2006-03-18 :: Yemen, IMF discuss development cooperation | (sabanews.net)- Prime Minister Abdul-Qader Ba-Jammal discussed on Saturday with International Monetary Fund (IMF) delegation headed by Lorenzo Beriez, Deputy Director for Middle East and Asia Department, aspects of the cooperation between Yemen and IFM.
They discussed the economic, financial and administrative reforms program and its consequences on the Yemeni economy and the current financial and administrative situation.
Ba-Jammal pointed out to the government steps adopted in the implementation of the reform program.
They have also discussed the government procedures and programs regarding the reform of the civil service, public administration, budgets, banking system and policies related to investment in Yemen, specially investment in the field of oil and gas, transportation and industrial zones. He also confirmed that the government trends aims at strengthening the financial and administrative decentralization and developing the local authority system.
Ba-Jammal appreciated the technical and material assistance offered by IMF in this regard and expressed the government hope to get the IMF support for the financial and banking sector and to support the implementation of stock market in Yemen.
The IMF official voiced the IMF readiness to offer the technical support to develop the financial and banking sector in Yemen. He said that the Yemeni government should reorganize the development priorities in different sectors to enable the donors contribute more efficiently in the development, economic and social programs. |
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2006-03-14 :: Oil ministry, IMF discuss cooperation | (sabanews.net)- Oil and Mineral Sources Minister Khalid Mahfoudh Bahah met here on Tuesday with the International Monetary Fund delegation who is currently visiting Yemen.
In the meeting, they discussed efforts of Oil Ministry in attracting investments to in invest in oil field.
In addition, the supervision and controlling systems done by the Oil Ministry on the Oil companies.
The IMF delegation highly appreciated the efforts exerted by Oil Ministry in supporting oil exploration activities. |
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2006-03-14 :: WB funds electricity power station project | (sabanews.net)- Yemen and the World Bank (WB) inked here on Tuesday an agreement with $ 50 million to fund electricity power station project.
In remarks to Saba, Planning and International Cooperation Minister Abdul Kareem al-Arhabi said the total coast of the project is $ 75 million, $ 50 million financed by the WB, $15 million funded by the Islamic Bank for Development and $ 10 million funded by the Yemeni government.
He pointed out that the capacity of the power station is 160 Tons per hour . |
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2006-03-13 :: Al-Arhabi visits WB regional office | (sabanews.net)- Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Abd Al-Karim Al-Arhabi headed on Monday for Cairo to meet with officials of the World Bank's regional office.
During the visit, the loan to fund the project of improving the electricity will be signed Al-Arhabi stated adding that the $-50-million loan is to increase the electricity capacity in 18 governorates in Yemen. |
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2006-03-12 :: Tourism minister meets IMF mission | (sabanews.net)- Tourism Minister Nabil al-Faqih discussed on Sunday with the mission of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) the tourist projects and the average of tourist growth in Yemen according to the latest tourist computes.
The meeting discussed also the reality of tourism industry and its future, forms of the tourist products and how to implement tourist projects in Yemen to make remarkable tourist development so that Yemen can enhance the national economy.
Al-Faqih reviewed with the mission needs of his ministry of technical support to improve is performance, pointing out that Yemen has distinguished tourist attractions and good chances for investment. |
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2006-03-12 :: CBY governor meets IMF delegation | (sabanews.net)- Governor of the Central Bank of Yemen (CBY) met here on Sunday with the delegation of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) headed by deputy manager of the Middle East and Mid Asia in the fund Lorans Barbaz.
In the meeting, they discussed steps taken by Yemen to improve its banking system within reform program which was adopted by the country since 1995.
The governor reviewed achievements of Yemen in banking sector such as stability of exchange rate and increasing the reserves of foreign currency.
The delegation highlighted efforts of the Yemeni government in domain of economic reforms. The aim of the delegation visit is to study future visions over economic sector in the country, especially private and financial sector. |
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2006-03-11 :: 34 firms vie for Yemen deal | (sabanews.net)- Nabil al-Qawsi, Chairman of Petroleum and Exploration and Production Authority (PEPA) announced that 34 international companies have been initially qualified to get reward of operating 14 blocks through an international tender.
The blocks are 11,79,80,82,83, 84 in Hadramout governorate,12,30,29 in Mahrah, 17 in Aden and Abyan, 19 in al-Jawf, 23 in Hodeidah and 28 and 57 in Shabwa governorate.
The companies include France's Total, US-based Occidental Petroleum, OMV of Austria, Malaysia's Petronas and Brazil's Petrobras, the agency said.
Final results of the bidding, which had drawn 62 applicants, are to be announced on July 5, it said.
for a full list of the qualified companies follow the link below:
http://www.pepa.com.ye/thirdbidprequalificationresults.htm
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2006-03-11 :: Yemen, IMF discuss cooperatrion | (sabanews.net)- Planning and International Cooperation Minister Abdul-Karim al-Arhabi met here on Saturday with the delegation of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) headed by Lorenz Beriez, deputy manager of the Middle East and Middle Asia in the IMF.
In the meeting, they discussed aspects of the third five-year plan (2006-2012)of
development and fighting poverty.
The meeting discussed also the investment program, plans and activities to enhance social security and all programs to be achieved in this field what Yemen has achieved in this regard.
For his part, IMF official pointed out that this visit includes holing talks with many Yemeni officials on the state budget and program achieved by the Yemeni government to up-root poverty. |
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2006-03-08 :: WB grants Yemen $ 40 million for Primary Education National Strategy | (sabanews.net)- Education Minister Abdul Salam al-Jawfi met here on Wednesday with the regional director of the World Bank for Yemen, Egypt and Djibouti Emanuel Mabi who is currently visiting Yemen.
Al-Jawfi discussed with him the support of the National Strategy of Primary Education project funded by WB by a total cost of $ 40 million would be implemented early 2007.
Al-Jawfi appreciated the WB's support for education projects in Yemen which will help in the developing process of Yemen.
The WB official praised the Ministry of Education follow up efforts for educational projects funded by the WB . |
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2006-03-08 :: Premier discusses development process with WB | (sabanews.net)- Premier Abdul-Qader Ba-Jammal discussed with the regional director of the World Bank (WB) M. B. Emanuel the government developmental programs in field of education and water, poverty reduction strategy and exclusive reforms programs.
Ba-Jammal noted that the government continuously evaluates the projects of being funded by WB and other donors in order to be executed according to the plans and studies agreed upon and avoid any flaky pitfalls.
He also affirmed the role of WB in economic and social development route in Yemen during the previous period and the importance of its support for the coming period.
On the other hand, Emanuel assured that the WB, along with other donors, would continue offering support for the development process in Yemen to improve the economic situation. He called the government to exert more efforts to implement all plans and programs to better the life of Yemeni people. |
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2006-03-06 :: Al-Asali and WB official discuss the regional aid strategy | (sabanews.net)- Minister of finance Saif Mahyoub al-Asali held talks here on Monday with the regional director of World Bank for Yemen, Egypt and Djibouti.
The talks focused on the strategy program of the regional aids, including the wise government, investment aspects, and the reform program of financial administration.
The minister affirmed the Yemeni government commitment of the program of reform, pointing out the difficulties facing the government.
Al-Asali stressed on the necessity of WB's training programs for the financial sector considering them vital factors for reform programs implementation. |
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2006-03-05 :: Yemen, WB cooperate for local development | (sabanews.net)- Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Abdul-Karim al-Arhabi held a meeting with regional director of the World Bank for Egypt, Yemen and Djibouti Emanuel Ambi and discussed with him cooperation aspects between Yemen and WB and executing projects being financed by the bank.
During the meeting, al-Arhabi highlighted government keenness on economic reforms and the related procedures.
He pointed out the coming regional cooperation strategy by which various projects would be supported by the WB. Moreover, he briefed results of the meetings which evaluated the executed projects, which were supported by the bank, in Yemen.
For his part, Emanuel briefed preparation stages for the coming regional cooperation strategy and evaluated the previous strategy (2002-200(.
He affirmed the importance of making use of the previous strategy in order to avoid difficulties in coming one.
Emanuel also asserted the WB support for development programs in Yemen. |
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2006-02-28 :: Yemen-US Talks on New Fishing Port in Hodeidah | (yobserver.com)- The possibility of US-funding for a new fishing port in Hodeidah was discussed on Sunday in talks between the Minister of Fisheries, Mahmoud Ibrahim Sagiri, and the US ambassador, Thomas Krajeski.
They discussed the possibility of an American grant for fishing industry support including the establishment of a port in Hodeidah, with a total cost US$13 million, according to Saba news.
Sagiri reviewed the ministry's work to improving the fishing industry, including the current US $ 35 million fifth fishery project, calling for more US-support. Krajeski repeated the USA's willingness to support Yemen's establishment of a port. |
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2006-02-27 :: Krajeski praises government reshuffle | (sabanews.net)- American ambassador to Sana'a Thomas Krajeski said that America would go on working with Yemeni government to enhance the bilateral cooperation and to coordinate stances towards
the regionaldevelopments.
Krajeski praised the new government reshuffle that took place recently, expressing hope the reshuffle reinforces the reforms policy that president Saleh has declared.
We are looking forward to deal with new ministers to help them achieve duties they were assigned to obtain. He confirmed that fighting corruption and carrying out free democratic elections in 2006 and making strong economic development is the concern of Yemen and United States. |
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2006-02-21 :: Agriculture minister meets WB official | (sabanews.net)- Agriculture and Irrigation Minister Jalal Faqirah met here on Tuesday with the World Bank mission of experts in protecting the underground water and soil.
In the meeting, the two sides discussed the level of performance and the implementation of a project aims at keeping the underground water ands oil in Yemen at a total cost $40 million.
For his part, Faqirah confirmed the importance of the project that comes in the framework of the government strategy to face the water crisis and reduce the poverty through increasing the family income, in addition to increasing the agricultural production. |
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2006-02-20 :: WB Launches the Small Grants Program 2006 | (yobserver.net)- The World Bank launched last week in Sana’a its Small Grants Program for 2006, as part of the framework of its policy to support the growth of civil society.
The Program provides various civil society organizations the opportunity to compete with programs that aim mainly to build the capacity and the institutional capability of the organizations, leverage social capital, and strengthen partnership with local and other civil society organizations.
The Program also encourages new and innovative ideas and solutions, as well as participatory approaches, to solving local problems.
The first World Bank interaction with civil society began in the 1970s through dialogue with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) on environmental concerns. Today, the World Bank consults and collaborates with thousands of members of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) throughout the world, such as community-based organizations, NGOs, labor unions, faith-based groups, and foundations. |
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2006-02-11 :: Water minister and WB official disuse the implement of water | (sabanews.net)- Water and Environment Minister Mohammad Bin Lutf al-Iryani met here on Saturday with the World Bank (WB) mission headed by Gunthen Welter official of the Water sector in the WB.
They discussed the WB fund a study to implement some water projects in different urban towns.
The WB has a condition that after the conclusion of the study, it should be submit to the Arab Fund for implementation. The discussions also focused on the private sector role in implementing water projects.
The WB official pointed out that his visit to Yemen aims at estimating and evaluating the level of work of water projects which have been implemented before and to prepare for the forth coming step regarding the implementation of some water projects in different cities. |
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2006-02-11 :: Hadhramout governor meets WB delegation | (sabanews.net)- The governor of Hadhramout Abdul-Qader Ali Helal met here on Saturday the delegation of the World Bank (WB) headed by Khairi al-Jummal who is currently visiting Hadhramout.
During the meeting, Helal praised the WB assistances and its service and investment projects in Mukala, confirming the local authority interest in the financed projects by WB.
For his part, the head of WB delegation pointed out to that his visit aims at following up the implementation of projects such as water and sanitation in different areas of Mukala.
The World Bank grants for the vital projects in Yemen present 80% of the total cost. |
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2006-02-09 :: Yemen, WB discuss water projects in Taiz | (sabanews.net)- Governor of Taiz Ahmed al-Hajri met Thursday with the World Bank (WB) team headed by Alexander Baklian.
In the meeting, they discussed subjects of carrying out water and sanitation projects in Taiz at a total cost of YR 7 billion funded by the WB and the government.
Baklian emphasized on importance to identify a time action plan for the executive program of the projects to be studied by specialists in the WB. |
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2006-02-09 :: Symposium on Yemeni accession to WTO in Aden | (sabanews.net)- Aden Chamber of Commerce and Industry is to organize a symposium on Yemen accession to World Trade Organization (WTO) in Adencity next Saturday.
Director of the Aden Chamber Ahmed Hadi Salam said that the symposium would discuss papers related to preparations for joining WTO and
view points of the private sector and the government on the accession process.
150 businessmen, academicians, and representatives of Commerce and Industryoffice and Aden Free Zone will take part in the symposium. |
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2006-02-04 :: Thula’s ancient Rainwater Cistern to be Repaired | (yobserver,com)- The ancient water cistern in the village of Thula is to be renovated to help improve the water supply in the popular tourist village outside Sana’a, with help from the US Agency for International Development (USAID).
The project is intended to help improve and protect the health of people living in the village, and involves the reconstruction of the main cistern, the Jaadan Cistern.
The plan to reconstruct the cistern, considered to be of historical and cultural importance to the town, which gains much of its income from the many visitors who come to see its attractive architecture, will ensure the beauty of the site is not damaged.
The rehabilitation will therefore use mainly natural stone materials, and will use a traditional Yemeni plaster called "qadad'. The contractor selected for the project has a long family tradition in the use of qadad and is an expert in the special techniques needed for its proper application.
The rehabilitation project will begin in early February and is expected to be completed in four months.
Thula, like many mountainous towns in Yemen, harvests rainwater in cisterns to use for household water supply. This practice allows the community to make the best use of extremely scarce water resources.
However, rainwater can become contaminated as it flows through collection channels into the cistern. Water stored in open cisterns can also become spoiled from animal wasters, rubbish, and directly from clothes, shoes, hands and buckets as women and children collect water.
Drinking contaminated water can cause many different diseases, such as diarrhea, typhoid fever and the stomach bacteria giardiasis. Coming into direct contact with this water, such as collecting water or swimming in the water, can cause skin rashes and possibly skin infections.
This is one of the four components of the USAID's developmental health program, that was designed through consultations and focus groups conducted with the community and local council members in the district of Thula.
In addition, the project has conducted a survey of 269 households in 12 villages to understand local knowledge and practices related to water, sanitation and hygiene.
A locally elected project oversight committee, composed of five men and five women, will work with the local council to raise awareness of community members, including children, on their role in keeping the cistern clean and assuring its maintenance. |
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2006-01-23 :: Five Year Plan to Merge National and Global Economy | (yobserver.com)- A third five-year development plan for poverty reduction is to continue the process of merging the national economy with the international economy, according to a report issued by the ministry of planning and international cooperation.
It is hoped that this will be achieved by accession into the World Trade Organization (WTO) and applying the measures of Arab free trade. The plan will contribute in pushing development forward in both trade and industrial sectors, the ministry report said.
The plan aims to make positive changes by providing the required funds for projects in these two sectors and encouraging the private sector.
The goals of the plan are to realize real economic growth. The plan revealed a set of measures which would be taken by the government to boost commerce and industry, especially those important industries that make up 10.3% of the domestic grass product.
The plan is expected to increase this percentage to 12% over the duration of the economic plan. In contrast, the percentages stood at only 8.8% last year, according to figures in reports from the Central Statistic Organization.
It is also hoped that the industrial sector will witness progress in future years, due to setting up new industrial zones. These will be formed with the aim of improving opportunities for establishing medium and small industries, in addition to setting up a fund for industrial development.
The plan aims to improve the investment environment through tackling the obstacles facing industrial investment, and to finalize the legal issue related to this sector.
The plan includes polices for promoting investments opportunities in industrial zones and for the drawing up of industrial maps across the country.
The plan also targets the increasing share of industrial exports through improving quality of products to meet international standards, and to benefit from the opportunities and rewards from the Arab free trade agreement and WTO.
The plan also aims to develop small industries and craftwork, such as clothes and foodstuff manufacture, to enable them to compete in other foreign markets.
It also calls for the provision of funds for small and for these industries to be organized into special associations, which work to care and encourage the industries and to arrange markets and trade exhibitions for them.
The plan calls for taking polices to protect the environment from industrial pollution, and to make amendments of the current law associated with the environment to meet international agreements regarding the protection of the environment.
In terms of foreign trade, the plan aims to finalize all the legal structure of foreign trade- especially after the government has taken measures in stabilizing foreign trade by the poverty reduction strategy of 2003-2005.
The strategy has contributed to increase the volume of foreign trade between Yemen and the rest of the world.
The Central Statistics Organization estimated initially the volume of foreign trade to be about YR 1 trillion at the end of 2005.
The plan highlights policies and measures which will be taken to improve the role of foreign trade in the development process.
The plan also asks to follow up all laws associated with foreign trade and the bylaws of organizing internal and external exhibitions.
It also calls for attention to be paid for training and for the completion of an information network to link the Ministry of Industry and Trade with local and global networks, to offer databases on the foreign trade.
In general, the plan aims to improving non-oil products through boosting the capabilities of the national exporting companies, the existing financial system and the exporting guarantee. |
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2006-01-23 :: Yemen welcomes US investments in AFZ | (sabanews.net)- Aden Governor Yahya al-Shuaibi welcomed on Sunday the investment of American companies in the projects of Aden Free Zone.
During his meeting with the head of economic and political department in American embassy Joy Houd and the commercial attaché Sozan Plout, he expressed his desire to attract American companies to invest in Aden and to establish big investment projects.
He shed lights on the big efforts aims at improving and activating Aden's port.
The American officials expressed their satisfaction over the improvement in Aden governorate, affirming the adherence of American embassy in encouraging the investment in Aden in different schemes such as trade, and tourism. |
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2006-01-22 :: Work to start on Yemen refinery | (tradearabia.com)- A private Yemeni firm will start work on a new 60,000 barrel-per-day (bpd) refinery in Yemen in May, the Saba state news agency said.
It quoted company officials as saying the economic, environmental and technical studies had been completed for the $450 million project, and with the help of International Finance Corp (IFC), the World Bank's private sector lending arm.
The Ras Issa Refinery is a new venture 50 per cent owned by HoodOil, a subsidiary of the Haseel Saeed Anam group, a prominent private firm in Yemen.
The company source was quoted as saying that India's Reliance Industries would have a 25 per cent stake. The IFC earlier had said Reliance was expected to pick up a 25 per cent stake in the refinery.
'HoodOil will offer part of its stake to local investors,' Saba quoted the source as saying.
The IFC has said it will extend a $45 million loan to the project and invest another $5 million by buying 3.7 per cent of Ras Issa. It said the refinery would start operations by the third quarter of 2007 and process Yemen's Marib light crude.
The refinery would produce petroleum products such as diesel, gasoline, jet fuel and liquid petroleum gas. |
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2006-01-22 :: Yemen welcomes US investments in AFZ | (sabanews.net)- Aden Governor Yahya al-Shuaibi welcomed on Sunday the investment of American companies in the projects of Aden Free Zone.
During his meeting with the head of economic and political department in American embassy Joy Houd and the commercial attaché Sozan Plout, he expressed his desire to attract American companies to invest in Aden and to establish big investment projects.
He shed lights on the big efforts aims at improving and activating Aden's port.
The American officials expressed their satisfaction over the improvement in Aden governorate, affirming the adherence of American embassy in encouraging the investment in Aden in different schemes such as trade, and tourism. |
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2006-01-21 :: Yemen, WB sign loan agreement | (sabanews.net)- Yemen and World Bank signed here on Friday a loan agreement of $ 20 million as a contribution in funding the project of based-rain agriculture and animal wealth.
The cost of the project is $ 33 million.The Yemeni government will fund $3 million and another donors will contribute $10 millions.
The project will be carried out in five governorates: Sana'a, Hajjh, Al-Mahweet, Hodeida and Lahj.
The agreement was signed by the Deputy Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Abdullah Hassan Al-Shater and from World Bank side, head of the negotiation team Marry Helen.
Al-Shater said that works in the project would be started in the second half of 2006. |
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2006-01-16 :: Yemen & WB discuss rain fed agriculture project | (sabanews.net)- A delegation headed by Deputy Minister of Agriculture Abdullah al-Shatir to Cairo to hold discussions with
World Bank over the loan of rain fed agriculture and livestock project in Yemen.
Al-Shatir said that the project is estimated at US 30 mln out of which $ 20 to 25 mln offered by the WB and the rest support offered
by donors. He added that the first step of the project aims to improve the farmers capabilities and livestock farming in Yemen, it
will also focused on rainfed agriculture development in Sana'a, Hajjah, Hodeida, Emran and Laj governorates and the next steps
includes the rest governorates. |
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