Armies of Liberation

al-Motamar

Almotamar.net - Yemeni Deputy Premier , the Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Abdulkarim Ismael al-Arhabi said the national agenda for reforms is purely Yemeni and not imposed by anyone because the country needs reforms. Minister al-Arhabi said during the past two years Yemen has achieved many of reforms especially in the area of judicial authority that was separated from both the executive and legislative powers and chairman of the Supreme Court became chairman of the Judiciary Higher Council.

At he joint press conference after signing on an agreement between Yemen and the European Commission on support of the electoral process in Yemen the Minister considered his country’s accession to Transparency Strategy in Extractive Industries as an indicator to its strongly direction towards the good governance. According to that strategy there would be a third party to be sure of production and quantities and selling price and to be sure of putting its returns at the treasury of the state and the central bank would publish figures of the amounts of money entering the treasury. He has also expressed his hope in finding a real partnership between the government and the civil society organisations.
The Minister highly evaluated the European Union support for Yemen in the past two years and its raising the support this year to euro 51 million after it was 27 million. Regarding political reforms al-Arhabi said Yemen travelled log distance in the area of democracy and there are recommendations for the development of the elections law which is a golden opportunity that must be seized for development of democracy.
On his part the representative of the European Commission said they encourage Yemen government in reforming the elections law for the sake of realizing better representation of the woman and the neutral use of the state revenues and increase in electoral participation. The European Commission official called on all political parties concerned to participate in the success of the upcoming parliamentary elections.
Yemen and the European Commission have on Tuesday signed an agreement on the of Programme of Electoral Support an development of parliament capacities in implementation of recommendations of the observation team of the European Union in the presidential elections of 2006. The recommendations stressed on revising the legal framework of elections, independence of the state institutions and revenues and the necessity of increasing proportion of the woman participation.

SANA’A, June 10 (Saba)- Yemen and the European Commission signed on Tuesday an agreement of supporting an electoral system and developing the Parliament’s capacities at the cost of €5.3 million for 2008-2010.

The agreement was signed by Planning and International Cooperation Minister Abdul-Karim al-Arhabi and director of the EC for the Middle East and
Southern Mediterranean affairs Tomas Dupla Del Moral.

The EC’s grant aims to strengthen the programs of the Supreme Commission for Election and Referendum, improve the Parliament’s duties.

The grant will help achieve the European Union’s recommendations on the presidential elections which held in September 2006 as well as boosting the political participation of Yemeni women as candidates and voters.

SANA’A, June 10 (Saba)- Prime minister Ali Mujawar expressed his government’s appreciation the European Union’s support for the development process in Yemen, topped by its latest decision to increase its aids for Yemen from €17 million to €51 million per year.

During his meeting on Tuesday with a delegation of the European Commission headed by director of the EC for the Middle East and Southern Mediterranean affairs Tomas Dupla Del Moral, Mujawar affirmed that the decision would boost the developmental cooperation relations between Yemen and the EU.

Mujawar and the EC delegation discussed the aspects of enhancing the Yemeni, European cooperation in fields of diplomacy, economy and development to
serve the common interests.

Moral hailed the affirmative results of the government’s administrative reforms, confirming the EU’s support for the Yemen’s accession into the Gulf Cooperation Council and also its readiness to provide all technical support.

Mujawar reviewed economic, judicial and administrative reforms in the framework of his government’s reforms agenda such the formation an independent anti-corruption authority.

UK to double its assistance to Yemen at 400%, says British diplomat

[13 June 2008]

SANA’A, June 13 (Saba)- United Kingdom is to double its assistance to Yemen at 400% for period 2007-2010, British ambassador to Sana’a Tim Torlot said.

In an interview with 26 September weekly, Torlot said the assistance would be $ 100 million yearly, adding that the cooperation between the two countries is strong in filed of combating terrorism.

He highlighted democracy in Yemen, confirming support of his country for the development process in Yemen.

Me too! Elite capture of donors’ funds is a very tragic and common circumstance. And the Dutch have supported Yemen for a long time in a benevolent manner and really do good work, or try to, until the funds get stolen from the mouths of the hungry people.

Alsahwa.net -The Dutch Embassy in Yemen expressed sorrow over misusing its technical and financial support provided to Shabwa province in the frame of mutual cooperation.

“We were deeply shocked that the three cars supplied by embassy were delivered to members of administrative authority” The Dutch ambassador to Yemen Harry Buikema said in a letter directed to the Shabwa governor Mohammad al-Rwaishan.

Buikema’s letter which Alsahwa.net has a copy of it demanded the governor to offer a final report of the technical and financial support.

“I wish the embassy be able to visit the province through June-July to discuss future cooperation” Buikema said.

A majority of the ruling party in Shabwa had voted in April 2008 for distributing cars granted by the embassy to the heads of the local council amid fierce objection of the opposition members.

What a bunch of elitist imperialist lunatics these al-Qaeda are: they annointed themselves as gatekeeper for the entire nation and magically endowed themselves with the right to murder anyone they please. Somehow these fanatics think they know better than all the other 20 million Yemenis what is right.

Osama gets the final say on who lives and dies in Yemen? Ok so we can start the list of who’s safe.

Thankfully they haven’t learned yet to shoot a mortar. Maybe the regime got a bad shipment from Kim Jung Ear. Maybe not.

(AKI) - An al-Qaeda cell in Yemen has issued a threat against non-Muslim foreign tourists, particularly those from the West, who visit the Arabian Peninsula.

“We warn all the unbelievers who enter the Arabian Peninsula that [targeting] their money and their blood are religiously right for us,” said al-Qaeda of the Jihad in the South of the Arabian Peninsula in a statement that was published in its e-magazine entitled “Epic Echo”.

“We want to tell you that if you enter the Arabian Peninsula under any name or cover, whether as tourists, diplomats, university professors or journalists, know that we are justified in targeting you,” said the statement.

“We do not respect any of the agreements signed by the Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh and various governments.”

The terrorists also mentioned the al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden and accused Europeans of not having accepted his offer of peace offered to European governments in April 2004.

“No-one will be safe without an explicit permission from Sheikh Osama,” said the statement.

The group also said that it would also target Yemeni security forces.

In recent weeks, Yemen has been hit by a series of attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against government targets.

Related: US Embassy Attacker Sentence Reduced

2008-05-12 SAN’A, Yemen (AP) - An appeals court in Yemen has reduced the prison sentence for a man convicted of shooting at the U.S. Embassy there. The 2006 shooting caused slight damage to the building in the Yemeni capital of San’a, but no one was hurt. Saleh Alawi al-Ammari was initially sentenced to five years in prison. But a judge on Monday reduced the penalty to three years.

Prosecutors have said al-Ammari went on a shooting spree after listening to videotapes calling on Muslims to wage jihad, or holy war, against the United States because of the Iraq war and American support for Israel.

Reuters

DUBAI, May 15 (Reuters) - An al Qaeda Yemeni wing threatened attacks on Thursday across the Arabian Peninsula against non-Muslim foreigners including tourists and journalists.

“We warn you not to enter the Arabian Peninsula under any name or cover be it as tourists, diplomats, scientists, experts or journalists; you will be a primary target for the mujahideen,” al Qaeda in the South of the Arabian Peninsula said in the editorial of its e-magazine.

(Read on …)

The deal is falling apart. Neither the rebels or the government is withdrawing.

Yemen Observer

The British government donated US $ 1.4 million to help people displaced by the conflict of Sa’ada, said the World Food program WFP last Thursday.

WFP welcomed a donation from the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) of US$1.45 million (£730,000), to help feed thousands of people displaced by the conflict in Sa’ada Governorate in northwestern Yemen. “We are deeply grateful for such a generous contribution, which will allow us to continue our work in support of the displaced people,” said Mohamed El-Kouhene, WFP Representative in Yemen.

The operation which started in September 2007, provides assistance to 77,000 people displaced by conflict in the region. Displaced families left their homes with few resources and many have little or no income to meet their food and other household needs. Many of them live with host families in Sa’ada city or in camps near the city.

The donation is extremely timely as WFP is facing shortfalls in the operation. It comes as a response to an urgent appeal for funds that WFP made last December. “The UK is pleased to be able to help Yemenis in need and support the vital work of WFP, providing food assistance to the people displaced in Sa’ada. We urge all involved to help bring about a rapid resolution to the situation so that those affected can return home and resume their everyday lives,” said Shahid Malik, UK Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for International Development.

(Read on …)

Sadly, probably a good move:

SAN’A, Yemen (AP) - The United Nations has closed some of its Yemen offices, erected blast walls around its main headquarters in the country and pulled out some nonessential staffers because of security concerns, U.N. and Yemeni officials said Sunday.
The changes followed an attack on a housing complex for Western diplomats in Yemen’s capital, San’a, earlier this month and a mortar attack last month on the U.S. Embassy.
Three mortars missed the American Embassy on March 20 but crashed into a girls high school nearby instead, killing a security guard. Three projectiles also hit a foreigners’ compound on April 6, shattering windows but causing no injuries. The complex is in an upscale neighborhood that also houses U.N. buildings.
Some U.N. offices have shut down in recent days, but others including the world body’s refugee agency, the U.N. High Commission for Refugees, remained open, UNHCR regional spokeswoman Abeer Etefa told The Associated Press by telephone from Cairo, Egypt.
A number of U.N. staffers at various agencies have already left Yemen, Etefa said.
U.N. officials in Yemen were not immediately available for comment.
Ten-foot (3-meter) high blast walls and piles of sandbags have been erected around the United Nations’ headquarters in San’a. Yemeni security troops were deployed around the building.
No employees have been seen entering or exiting the compound in several days, said a Yemeni security official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to describe the U.N. measures.
Yemeni security troops already protect foreign missions, hotels and U.N. buildings, and continue to be able to protect their occupants, he said.

The Yemeni American Anti-terrorism Center (YAATC) has despatched a letter to the Secretary General of United Nation calling for pressure on the Yemeni regime to stop oppressing Yemeni people and to discontinue caring for the international terror.

Date: 04/27/2007
From: The Yemeni American Anti-terrorism Center (YAATC)
To: The United Nations

Subject: perspective of the (YAATC) on the international war on terror and how to dry its sources in Yemen.

Dear Honourable Mr. Ban Ki-Moon
General Secretary of the United Nations.

Greetings,
We would like to thank the United Nations in the person of its former General Secretary Mr. Kofi Annan for all the relief efforts and assistance that he and his teams gave to the people of the world. This is especially true in the ease of the Republic of Yemen, where we have found real and serious action by the United Nations and other human service organizations, specifically on the problems of human trade and the problem of kidnapping and selling of Yemeni children to neighbouring countries. We thank the United Nations for all the work being done to return these children safely to their parents, provide them with shelter, and to rehabilitate the psychologically, socially, educationally and health wise so that they become productive citizens. All thanks are due to the good people of the world who spend from their wealth and efforts toward achieving these noble goals.

Thanks are due to you Mr. General Secretary for all the concrete efforts that you done to serve humanity through the great role of United Nations by resolving conflicts through peaceful means; efforts to end wars, violence, terrorism and through helping the poor, children, refugees and the victims of dictatorial regimes.

Your Excellency, Mr. General Secretary….
We would like to present to you the perspective of the Yemeni American Anti-terrorism Center (YAATC) on terrorism for the following reasons:

First, we believe that these views are going to help all of us to get rid of terrorism or at the very least limit a major portion of it in Yemen for the coming years.

Second, we in the YAATC do accuse the current regime in Yemen of producing terrorism and exporting it to the world. We believe that dictatorship on one side and terrorism on the other are two faces of the same coin, they live together and die together.

Third, We in the YAATC, do believe that our views will help limit the wars that are based on the ideologies of hate, hostility, the physical elimination of the other, and the use of sacred religions to justify the killing of political opponents and civilians in general.

Fourth, the YAATC have had previously sent a letter to the United Nations on July 07, 2006 titled: The Seventh of July 1994: The day of victory for the powers extremism and terror against the forces of good and modernity in Yemen “. That letter pointed out events, facts and suggestions to the International body.

Fifth, the YAATC believes that it is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.

Dear honourable secretary…. We believe that terrorism finds in wars, bloodletting and the deliberate maintenance of poverty and ignorance its safe refuge. The Yemeni people have suffered from chronic wars, poverty, ignorance, and disease for more than fifty years and its suffering has increased in the past 30 years. (Read on …)

Off the top of my head, over one billion is owed to Russia for arms purchases and over two billion in soft loans unspent

26 September Net

SANA’A - Until end of 2007, the total external debt of Yemen reached $ 5.8 billion, an official report says.

During its weekly meeting, the cabinet listened to the report on Yemen’s external debt presented by ministry of finance.

According to the report, the debt’s level is in the safe side due to the good policy adopted in running such debts.

There’s one billion (US) in loans, accruing interest, unspent.

SANA’A, Feb. 04 (Saba) - Minister of Civil Service and Insurances Hamoud Khaled al-Sufi held talks with a World Bank delegation headed by Director of Poverty Alleviation and Economic Development Sector, on cooperation aspects between Yemen and WB.

During their meeting in Sana’a, al-Sufi and the WB officer discussed the program of administrative and institutional reforms and future support horizons to Yemen’s efforts in this regard.

Al-Sufi evaluated WB’s support for Yemen over administrative and institutional reforms, saying that the Bank’s continuous support to the country has been positive impact to achieve big successes.

(Read on …)

In April 2007, there were 60 injuries in Saada from landmines, as opposed to the normal 4 per month. Its good work to clear them.

Landmines

SANAA, 21 March 2008 (IRIN) - The UN Development Programme (UNDP) office in Yemen has said areas with a high density of landmines have been cleared, but challenges remain.

Yuka Ogata, UNDP’s Crisis Prevention and Recovery programme officer, told IRIN that landmines were still a big problem: “There were many victims, often women and children, and they either became handicapped or were killed,” she said, adding that affected agricultural land lay idle.

The Yemen Mine Action Centre (YMAC) plans to rid the country of landmines by March 2009, but Yuka said Yemen would probably be unable to achieve that goal because of lack of funds.

(Read on …)

because it harms efforts to aid the resistance

Yemen Observer

The Yemeni parliament is locked in a stand-off over a proposed new law that would crack down on money laundering and terrorist financing by merging the two crimes into one law.

A draft of the bill was introduced by Yemeni government to the parliament saying that the current laws of money laundering and financing terrorism are outdated and full of shortcomings dating back to 2003.

Opposition to the bill in the parliament contend that it would result in stifling charitable businesses and legal resistance by occupied Arab people. Members of parliament did, however, demand application of money laundering reform or amendments of the bill to be applied without merging the terrorism financing issue in the same bill.

“The existing legislation is sufficient,” said Member of Parliament, Sakher al-Wajeeh. “If the current law has deficiencies, it can be amended.”

The majority opposition in parliament says the proposed bill would restrict the work of charities and non-governmental organizations (NGO’s), causing more harm in fighting terrorism.

In Yemen, support of resistances in the Occupied Palestinian Territories are deemed to be legal ad justified actions, however most western states consider it to be terrorism, and the United Nations still cannot agree on a unified definition of terrorism. Al-Wajeeh suspects that the enemies of Islam link the religion with terrorism and claim by fighting Islam, they combat terroristic acts.

“There is no logical link of merging terrorism financing and money laundering because there is no unified definition of terrorism,” said Dr. Salah al-Sanabani, a member of parliament, adding, “the government should define terrorism according to our religion.”

According to the bill’s opposition, supporting this law to combat terrorism harms charitable and self-defense works by Islamic associations, especially resistance and charities in Palestine.

(Read on …)

Saleh trying to solve the world’s problems but can’t solve his own.

Almotamar.net - Yemen’s ambassador to Egypt and its permanent delegate to the Arab League Dr Abdulwali al-Shamiri announced Sunday that the Arab League has adopted the initiative of President Ali Abdullah Saleh concerning healing the rift between the Palestinian brethren.

Ambassador al-Shamiri said the Yemeni delegation led by Dr Abubakr al-Qirbi, the Foreign Minister has succeeded in urging the League and its foreign ministerial council during its latest meeting towards adopting the initiative of President Saleh of all its seven points for reconciliation among the Palestinian brethren and resumption of dialogue between the movements of Fatah and Hamas.

The Yemeni ambassador indicated that the Palestinian delegation participating in the Arab League Foreign Ministers Council session blessed the Yemeni initiative. He also disclosed that all Arab countries delegates to the Arab League announced their support for the Yemeni initiative and considered it as the safest groundwork for healing the Palestinian rift.

It is to be recalled that the Yemeni initiative includes seven points stipulating the return to the situations in Gaza to before Hamas control on the authority institutions there, holding early elections, resuming dialogue based on the basis of Cairo agreement in 2005 and Mecca agreement in 2007 on the basis that the Palestinian people are inseparable entirety and that the Palestinian authority is composed of the elected presidential authority, the elected parliament and the executive power represented by the government of national unity and the commitment to the Palestinian legitimacy with all of its components.

The initiative also stipulates respect of the Palestinian constitution and law and to abide by them by all and to rebuilding the security apparatuses on national bases so that they follow the higher authority and government of the national unity government and no faction should have any relation with it.

The initiative also stipulated that all Palestinian institutions should be without any factional distinction and to be subject to the higher authority and the national unity government.

Earth Times:

Sana’a, Yemen - A Yemeni minister said on Thursday his country could cut diplomatic ties with Denmark if Danish newspapers continue to publish cartoons depicting the Muslim prophet Mohammed in a manner deemed offensive to Islam. “If the Danish government does not stop those extremists who are hurting our prophet Mohammed, we will go beyond cutting economic ties, to cutting diplomatic ties,” Minister of Endowments and Religious Guidance Hamoud al-Hitar said.

(Read on …)

Wow. I have to say its impressive Mujawar admitted the gross theft of Yemeni public money in the form of smuggling subsidized oil. The World Bank said it first though.

1) Why not end the smuggling first then do the reduction in subsidies?

2) Reduction in subsidies should be accompanied by a rational government budget not one where 25% of public funds goes to administrative maintenance and 25% goes to military spending. Subsidies are another 25% of the public budget.

3) Beyond misappropriation of funds, corruption control is another component of economic reform. It should be accomplished before raising prices on diesel.

Yemen Times

Following Prime Minister Mujawar’s presentation to the parliament regarding the economic achievements of his cabinet during 2007, parliament members expressed fury and anger at the poor performance of the government, given the record inflation experienced during the year. The prime minister started his presentation by highlighting the economic growth and developmental achievements during the last three years, but he also stated that economic growth has declined from 3.6 % in 2006 to 3.2 % in 2007. He also explained to the parliament that the government is suffering from immense pressures due to the decline in oil production and in turn revenue.

Removal of oil subsidies

The Prime Minister also added that the government will be forced to remove oil subsidies due to the cost of the subsidies on the government budget; he stated that in 2005 subsidies constituted 23.5 % of the budget, dropping to 21.2% in 2006. However, he added that in 2007 the subsidy will exceed 30 % due to the increases in international oil prices. He also added that the World Bank states that less than 23% of the subsidy benefits the population living under the poverty line, indicating that the other 75 % of the subsidy simply goes to smugglers of refined oil products to outside the country. The prime minister also added that the government of Yemen has failed in putting a stop to five oil and diesel smuggles who smuggle refined oil products out of the country.

“I am not saying that we will remove all oil subsidies immediately, but I wanted to inform you about the challenges the government faces including the fact that 6000 billion Riyals of oil subsidies isn’t going to the poor, but only 4 % of subsidies is” the prime minister stated, adding that the government needs the help of the parliament in making the decision to remove oil subsidies.

In response, parliament members strongly opposed the notion of removing oil subsidies stating that the increase in oil prices will be accompanies by a price hike in all other products, which will increase inflation and become an economic and social catastrophe. Head of Al-Ishah parliamentary block Dr. AbdulRahman bafadhl stated that the Yemeni public will not be able to tolerate any additional increase in retail prices. While the head of the socialist parliamentary block Dr. Aydarous Al-Naqib stated that removing the subsidies is the opposite of what the public is expecting from the government, adding that holds the government responsible for any consequences of removing the subsidies, demanding that the government holds the corrupt officials and those who misuse public resources accountable and punish them instead of punishing the Yemeni people. He concluded his remarks by saying “we, and the government, complain of corruption but we’ve never heard of holding any corrupt officials accountable”.

Even parliament members of the ruling party were disappointed at the prime minister’s justification for removing oil subsidies, saying that the smuggling of oil is done through tankers coming to Yemeni ports and sailing across the sea, not smuggled by donkeys which the government cannot trace. While other parliament members denounced the government’s inability to put a stop to organized oil smuggling, unless the smugglers are a part of the government itself.

Parliament members mistrust in government

Parliament members continued to attack the prime minister’s presentation and government economic polities, MP Abdullah Al-Badani stated that he always feels suspicious and horrified whenever the government visits the parliament to present its achievements. He stated that he cannot see the economic progress the government is referring to while the value of the Yemeni Riyal is collapsing as opposed to other currencies, stating that the government economic policies are similar to a missile attack that aims at the destruction of the country, calling on the government members to go to the street and see the thousand who eat out of the garbage.

MP Sakher Al-Wajeh inquired why does the government have a monopoly on a single entity in importing refined oil products, adding that the government’s reliance on treasury bills to control the supply of money is a sign of economic failure. He also demanded an explanation why the government has monopolized import of scrap metal to only two selected businessmen, in turn driving many others out of business. MP AbdulRazaj Al-Hajri also commented on the prime minister’s achievement in giving raises to seven thousand retired political security officers, and said that we need seven thousand bakeries to feed the people, and this achievement is no achievement at all and the government needs to reprioritize.

MP Abdulkarim Shaiban stated that the economic development mentioned in the prime minister’s presentation is simply a myth and un true numbers, adding that the government has failed in preparing a business environment that succeeds in attracting investments, as evident by the declining investments coming to Yemen. He also added that the privet sector has become tired of continued restrictions on business and additional taxes.

Several other parliament members criticized the government for providing inconclusive information relation to other issues including security issues and the unrest in the south which have a direct baring on the economy. MPs also demanded that the prime minister revises his report and includes detailed information on the price hikes, how the proposed subsidy funds are going to be used if the oil subsidy is removed. The prime minister promised to resubmit his report in mid April.

SANA’A, (26September Net) - Yemen lost $154 million during 2005 – 2007 due to gradual reduction for customs and tax tariff within the agreement of the biggest Arab Free Trade Zone, according to an official report.

The report, Saba got a copy of, estimated increasing these losses up to $ 300 million during this year and around $524 million in 2009 to be $838 million by 2010, expecting the losses in 2005-2010 reach 1816 million.

The report presented by Yemen to the Arab Economic and Social Council (AESC) in its 81st round held in Arab League headquarters on February 6 - 14 demanded the council to stop carrying out the gradual reduction of customs and tax tariff until 2015.

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.

The round decided to study the request and issue a decision next September.

The AESC seeks to reduce customs tariffs every year until it becomes zero in all Arab countries by 2010.

Saba

Third five-year plan Implementation progress to be supervised

[20 February 2008] SANA’A, Feb. 20 (Saba) - Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Abdul Karim al-Arhabi revealed on Wednesday that its ministry intends to set up an independent unit for supervision and evaluation of implementation progress of the 3rd five-year plan.

In the opening of a workshop for supervising and evaluating the of the 3rd five-year plan implementation, al-Arhabi said that similar units would be established in the other governmental bodies later on, affirming that this initiative gets wide support from the donors.

He made clear that the government interests in boosting aspects of supervision and evaluation through adopting effective mechanisms to monitor the implementation progress of the 3rd five-year plan.

The workshop dealt with the evaluative indicators related to the 3rd five-year plan implementation performance.

The workshop’s participants presented a number of papers focused on the weakness points in current evaluative mechanisms and means of improving.

Good stuff!!!

Yemen Post

About 27,900 of duplicates and public employees receiving money while not working have been canceled from salary payrolls over the last period, according to Minister of Civil Service and Insurances Khalid Hamoud Al-Soufi.

Al-Soufi added that they are in the final stages for removing other 31,000 public servants from payrolls for not doing fingerprinting and photo identification system, noting they have already completed granting employee cards to all servants at the level of ministries’ offices, the capital, and 12 provinces out of 19 provinces.

He pointed out that his ministry has prepared all technical measures to implement the system in other governorates within 15 days. The system is due to be completed in all public and civil service units by the end of the current month.

Meanwhile, Al-Soufi told official media that fingerprinting and photo identification system is running well in army and security sectors, hinting the leaders of these units are cooperative, stating that none will be exempted whatever his post is. He expected to finish these measures by next September.

There are ten thousands of duplicate, counterfeit and absentees in military and security sectors and some work in both military and civil sectors at the same time.

Yemeni public servant still suffers under the current circumstances because of his low income and salary.

Bad cement?

Donor aid has limited impact in Yemen due to corruption and administrative incompetence.

SABA’A, Jan. 30 (Saba) - A delegation from the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development (AFESD) has visited the project of Dhamar-al-Hhusainia road to get acquainted with the failure reasons of the project’s implementation.

The delegation accompanied by the deputy minister of public works Abdul-Wahab al-Hakem was briefed on the implementation progress of the project and reviewed the difficulties and the means of overcoming them.

The delegation and the contractor agreed on completing the project within a specified timetable ends in the mid of July 2009.

The 257 km-length road project from Dhamar to al-Husainia is implemented by the Yemeni Rehab company and the Turkish Norak company at a cost of $38 million, 88 percent of which financed by the AFESD.

Al-Motamar

Almotamar.net, Saba - Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation signed on Wednesday an agreement providing an additional loan from World Bank (WB) to complete the third phase of the Public Works Project amounted at $ 25 million.

The agreement, which was signed by Deputy Premier for Economic Affairs Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Abdul-Karim al-Arhabi and WB team leader Samueil Moterjei, also includes establishing projects in areas of education, health, vocational training, water and rural roads, in addition to developing local communities and construction sector to create new job opportunities in all governorates.
On the other hand, the European Commission’s representative in Yemen Patricia Lambert confirmed on Wednesday the EC’s intention to raise volume of its support it provides to Yemen, indicating that this decision came after President Ali Abdullah Saleh’s visit to EC’s headquarters in Brussels.

During a meeting with Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Abdul-Karim al-Arhabi, the EC’s representative discussed results of Saleh’s visit to Brussels and the European increased support to Yemen as a major result of the visit.

The two parts also discussed mechanisms of implementing commitments included in Yemeni regional plan for years 2007-2011 worth € 60 million and the additional 20 million added by the EC last year as well as preparations concerning holding meetings of Yemeni-European scheduled to be held next June.

Al-Arhabi praised keenness of EC in supporting developments in Yemen, confirming the importance of coordinating mutual efforts for this purpose.

Earlier, EC announced last June increasing its development aid to Yemen to € 81 million for years 2007-2011 for supporting reforms and helping government’s efforts in combating poverty.

France offers € 2.7 mln to support Yemen’s democracy, security

[09 February 2008]

SANA’A, Feb. 09 ( Saba)- With supply from the French government estimated at € 2. 7 million, the First Ministerial Meeting on support program of democratic governance and security in Yemen held on Saturday.

Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Abdul-Karim al-Arhabi who chaired the meeting expressed keenness of the Yemeni government for French support to Yemeni democracy and economy.

He indicated that the Yemeni-French relations are witnessing continuous growth resulting in rising French government support to Yemen by ten times and signing a five-year partnership’s treaty (2007-2011).

Al-Arhabi reviewed the achieved reforms, noting that the government has pledged a number of reforms aiming at speeding up economic growth.

He confirmed that Yemen has made great achievements in fields of enacting reform legislations, noting support of the program of democratic governance and security in Yemen that help the government in implementing reforms and combating corruption.

For his part, the French ambassador to Yemen Gilles Gauthier said that France comes in the third place in donor’s list with a support estimated at $ 130 million.

He clarified that his country’s government has named recently additional French donors in Yemen and gave foodstuff aid to the country in 2007 estimated at $1 million, and has allocated equal sum and new projects for the year 2008.

“The program of supporting democratic governance in Yemen is composed of four components, Justice, interior security, local administration and supporting control and observation systems,” the ambassador said.

WB grants $ 51mln to Yemen

[16 January 2008]

WASHINGTON, Jan. 16 (Saba)- Yemen and the World Bank (WB) signed in Washington an agreement of granting $51 million to be used in administrative reforms in the country.

The agreement was signed by the Yemeni ambassador to United States Abdul-Wahab al-Hajari and Deputy President of World Bank Daniela Gressani.

The agreement was changed last October from a loan to a gift in appreciation for efforts of the Yemeni government in reforms.

Yemen Times

SNACC demands cooperation from top officials

The supereme national authority for combating corruption (SNACC) has demanded that top officials within the government to submit the total net worth disclosure statements in accordance to law number 30/2007. SNACC has received only 167 disclosure statement, while over 2,000 disclosure templates has been sent to various government agencies.

The limits of sovereignty

Harowo:

December 27, 2007
Italian Somaliland: A Return to the UN Trusteeship System
In much analysis, Transitional Government of Somalia (TGS) failed to restore law and order in southern Somalia, including the vicious Mogadishu that paralyzed the country for about two decades. IGAD and Arab League also failed to install government in Somalia after 14 Peace Conferences in Arab and IGAD territories.

It is likely that UN Trusteeship System that worked in the Italian Somaliland for about ten years in 1950’s will again restore law and order in Italian Somaliland.

Effective from January 27th 1950, General Assembly adopted a resolution recommending that Italian Somaliland be placed under an international trusteeship system, and requested the Italian government to be administrator of Italian Somaliland until further recommendations to lift the resolution. The decree worked fine between 1950 to 1960 and established local administration for the Italian Somaliland until the unity of Italian Somaliland with British Somaliland on 1st July 1960. Now, international community has all the legal authority it needs to shape a solution to humanitarian crises and armed conflicts around the world including Italian Somaliland, Mogadishu.

(Read on …)

almotamar.net - A presidential decree issued Monday on establishment of a Higher Committee for Tenders and Biddings.

The committee is composed of Mohammed Ahmed al-Junaid chairman and Fawzi Mujahid Abdulqader, Mahmoud Hussein al-Eryany and Mansour Saleh Mohammed Saleh al-Qaeti as members.

The decree stipulated that it is operative from the date of its issuance and publication in the official gazette.

almotamar.net, saba - In its meeting held on Sunday chaired by Premier Dr Ali Mohammed Mujawar , the cabinet ratified eight tenders for improving electricity estimated at YR 3 billion provided by government.

The tenders are about importing electronic equipment, motors, cables, wires and accessories to a number of projects in governorates of Mareb, Thamar and Sana’a.

The cabinet listened to a report of governor of Mareb over needs of the governorate and its districts of electricity and other projects in the light of the inclusive plan approved by the cabinet for boosting development process in Mareb governorate.

The cabinet directed speeding up accomplishing these projects and covering all areas of the governorate with electricity and completing road projects of Mareb-al-Beidha, Safer-Mareb, Safer-al-Noqob and others.

It urged all ministries to follow up implementing the cabinet’s previous decisions regarding Mareb development. The cabinet affirmed the role the local authority has to play to strengthen the process of projects implementation in all areas.

almotamar.net - Head of the Information office of the General People’s Congress (GPC) Tareq al-Shamy on Tuesday said the republican decision on establishment of the Higher Committee of Tenders and Biddings is an embodiment of seriousness of the state pursuit in the process of reforms and fighting corruption.

Al-Shamy said the decision on formation of the committee comes as part of reforms Yemen is witnessing. The reforms system has depended on clear vision concerning development of laws and adoption of transparency principle in all financial, economic and administrative dealings.

The GPC official added that this step comes to be complementary to what has been achieved in independence of judiciary, establishment of the Supreme National Anti-Corruption Authority and amendments of laws related to economic, financial, administrative and judicial measures.

He criticised the Joint Meeting Parties (JMP) negative stand concerning the reforms achieved, considering those stands as indicating a wrong understanding of opposition in opposing everything away from the national feeling. He added that the reforms serve the society and homeland.

Al-Baidha’a is second poorest province in Yemen, WB’s report says

[21 December 2007]

SANA’A, Dec. 21 (Saba) - Al-Baidha’a province was considered the second poorest province in Yemen after Amran province, the World Bank’s (WB) report on Poverty said.

According to the report, the poverty rate in al-Baidha’a was about 51.9% generally and that poverty rate in urban areas of the province was 16.6% and in countryside about 59.8%, however the poverty rate in Yemen is 34%.

The province leadership has organized a symposium on poverty with participation of international experts to evaluate poverty in the country.

World Bank 41336
YEMEN ECONOMIC UPDATE
Yemen Economic Update is a quarterly report that consists of five sections. The first section highlights
major economic and policy developments. The second section provides a special topic on the Yemeni
Economy. The third section summarizes new legislation, publications, data, conferences, and donor
activities in Yemen. The fourth section describes World Bank operations in Yemen and summarizes
ongoing operations. The fifth section gives detailed information on World Bank publications and
providescontactinformation.

Inside this Issue:

1 Summary
2 Recent Economic
Development
SUMMARY
3 Macroeconomic
Development and Progress was made in resolving some areas of internal conflicts,

Outlook but new fissures are opening up. The long-running conflict

4 Structural between the Yemeni government and the radical Houthi group in

Reforms and the Saada governorate, northern Yemen, is moving closer to a
peaceful resolution, with the government already announcing plans
Policies
and financial aid packages for the reconstruction of the war-
5 Outlook damaged areas in the North. The government is taking serious
6 Economic and measures towards controlling the spread of personal arms. Holding
Sector Dialogue a fair election process for the president and the local councils is
7 New and widely viewed as a good sign in political stability. However,
Noteworthy failures in managing short-term costs of civil service reforms and
8 World Bank inflation have sown seeds of discontent mainly in the southern parts
Operations of Yemen, where riots are repeatedly breaking out.

9 World Bank
Publication
Yemen’s macroeconomic performance showed mixed results in 2006.
Oil production declined by 8.8 percent, while non-oil growth
continued at a fair pace of about 5 percent, leading to an overall
growth rate of 4 percent, slightly less than the 4.6 percent of the
previous year. Meanwhile, 2006 prices of Yemeni crude exports

The World Bank Group increased by 22 percent, helping to sustain a positive–albeit a small–
current account balance and push foreign reserves to the equivalent of
Sana’a Office
about 11 months of imports. Similarly, government-related oil and
gas income increased by more than 40 percent, leading to a small fiscal
surplus for the first time in many years. On the negative side,
inflation soared by 18.4 percent, due to demand pressures and a
significant jump in the cost of food and transport.

(Read on …)

IRIN

SANAA, 3 December 2007 (IRIN) - From what was historically known as `Arabia Felix’ - a land of prosperity and happiness - Yemen has become the most impoverished Arab country, a top-level international report says. It concluded that overall poverty reduction had been painstakingly slow and that people in urban areas had fared better than those in rural areas.

The report, prepared by Yemen’s government, the World Bank, and UN Development Programme (UNDP) and entitled Yemen Poverty Assessment, was released on 3 December in Sanaa, Yemen’s capital. Its findings were based on the Household Budget Survey which ran from April 2005 till March 2006.

The report said poverty in Yemen’s rural areas did not decline as much as it did in urban areas: The percentage of poor people declined from 42.4 percent in 1998 to 40.1 percent in 2005/06 in rural areas, but in urban areas poverty declined from 32.2 percent to 20.7 percent in the same period because urban areas benefited greatly from oil-led growth.

(Read on …)

Malaria cases decrease to 800,000 yearly, says Official

[04 December 2007]
SANA’A, Dec. 04 (Saba)- Malaria cases decreased from 2,500,000 to 800,000 cases annually, Minister of Public Health and Population Abdul-Kareem Rase said on Tuesday.

In his speech in opening session of the annual regional meeting for the Middle East and North Africa of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, Rase said that the decrease reflected strong cooperation between the ministry and the fund who supports efforts of the ministry to combat these diseases in the country.

They forgot to list the Sa’ada Wars as another instance of land mine use.

74,000 still on hand.

Yemen Times

SANA’A, Dec. 2 — An international report complained about a data clash between the number of victims and survivals from mines and explosives left behind from wars in Yemen. The ninth report concluded from the recording sector and land survey for mines that in 2000 there was a total of 4,904 victims because of mines and explosives: 2,560 dead and 2,344 injured.

“The new international report for the assembly in charge of watching over and taking care of mines and explosives, gave its appreciation to authorities in charge of removing mines, and Yemen’s commitment to clearing and dismantling hidden mines. These are the remains of the 1962-1975 war between the Royalists and Republicans, the Sept. 26th revolution against British Occupation in 1963-1967, a war known as the Armed National Battlefront from 1970-1983, and finally the Summer War in 1994.” The report noted.

The report recommended that Yemen commit to dismantling the mines by applying the fourth item, ‘the Mine Ban Treaty’ on the destruction of its stockpile of stored mines in Yemen, which amount to 74,000, recommending that Yemen destroy them by the end of March 2009. (Read on …)

Update: Condi requests delay:
The fourth Forum for the Future that Sana’a was going to host in the 4-5 December was postponed until the end of January due to the engagement of some Ministers during that time and at the top was Condoleezza Rice who apologized and asked for postponement, said Mohi al-Dhabbi, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs.

al-Motamar:

almotamar.net - Almotamar.net on Friday learned from diplomatic sources that holding the 4th future Forum that was scheduled to convene in Yemen this week has been postponed until January 2008.

The sources told almotamar.net the postponement was because a number of foreign ministers of participating countries are engaged with other conferences coinciding with the date of the convention date of the forum in Sana’a.

(Read on …)

Wow

Military expenditures are a line item usually. But its illegal to report on the military anyway. I’d like to see a break down and what’s allocated to healthcare.

al-Sahwa
JMP refuses, ruling party’s majority approves 1.5 trillion as 2008 budget

November 27, 2007- Opposition and the independents blocs has declared its refusal to 2008 budget, saying that this ostensible budget does never reflects real incomes nor real expenditures and that it is full of falsities and negatives.

They further affirmed that the budget is unable to present the basic requirements for citizens, holding, in the mean time, the ruling party and its majority responsible for such illusory budgets.

The opposition parliamentary blocs further revealed clear fallacies in public incomes, explaining that the government estimated the oil barrels $ 55 while its real price is $ 90.

More on the budget, Yemen Observer:

Capital expenditure looks set to rise to 24.2 percent of total expenditures in the proposed 2008 budget, compared to 18.5% in the current year. This increase should encourage economic growth and create job opportunities.

Last week Parliament formed a special committee to study the financial statement of 2008 budget. The committee asked why the government spends so much on current expenditure, which had a negative impact on development.

Dr. Abdul Karem al-Arhabi, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Planning and International Cooperation, said that current expenditure is mostly goes on the army Furthermore, the government has pledged to raise civil servants’ salaries by 20 percent on average this year. A further expense is the increase in grants to local authorities, as part of the decentralization package.

(Read on …)