Arab League Denies Yemen’s Request for Continued Exemption
CAIRO, NewsYemen
The Arab Economic and Social Council has refused, in its 81st round held in Arab League headquarters on February (6-14), the request of Yemen to extend the period of frequent reduction of customs tariffs until 2015, instead of 2010.
Yemen’s request aims at giving some Yemeni sectors like industrial, agricultural, fishery and customs enough time to be more qualified to compete at the regional level and support the national economy which is deteriorating, Lutf Barakat, deputy chairman of the Public Customs Authority, told NY.
Barakat said “Yemen has presented to AESC a report on measures it has taken until 13 December 2007 and another report prepared by the Ministry of Trade and Industry explaining the economic situations in Yemen and justifying Yemen’s request to extend the period based on the council’s decision No. 7071, in its 80th round held in Cairo last year, to study the request and consider the economic and social situations in Yemen as ‘least developing country’.”
The Arab Economic and Social Council seeks to reduce customs tariffs 61% every year until it becomes zero in all Arab countries by 2010.
The Council also covered obstacles to a greater Arab duty free zone, and called on Algeria, Mauritania, Djibouti and the Comoros to complete the process of joining the zone.
