New investments spark 'hope' for Yemeni economy

Anis Awad Bahartha said the government is seeking to make Yemen's investment environment attractive to investors. [Faisal Darem/Al-Shorfa]

Anis Awad Bahartha said the government is seeking to make Yemen's investment environment attractive to investors. [Faisal Darem/Al-Shorfa]

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After a tumultuous year for investments in Yemen, a number of new investment projects are currently under way.

In the first quarter of 2012, 17 investment projects at a combined value of 46.7 billion riyals ($216 million) were launched, creating nearly 1,000 jobs, Anis Awad Bahartha, acting president of Yemen's General Investment Authority (GIA), told Al-Shorfa.

Bahartha said the authority is undertaking intensive efforts to stimulate investment in Yemen, since it drives development and helps fights poverty and unemployment.

Al-Shorfa sat down with Bahartha at his office in Sanaa to discuss Yemen's investment climate following the recent Friends of Yemen donor conference.

Al-Shorfa: What is your assessment of Yemen's investment environment after 2011?

Anis Awad Bahartha: The investment environment was hurt significantly by the exceptional events that swept the country during the past two years because [of the country's] unstable political and security situation. This led to investment projects being halted in a number of provinces and much of the workforce being laid off, not to mention foreign investors' reluctance [to invest in Yemen] and a decline in investor confidence.

Since the signing the GCC initiative, however, the situation has begun improving gradually, and the government has focused its attention on investment issues. It has diligently created an appropriate environment for investment by moving forward with political, security and economic reforms and formulating many new laws to streamline the investment process.

Also, Yemen has membership in several regional and international institutions specialised in investment, including the Inter-Arab Investment Guarantee Corporation, the Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit, and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency.

Al-Shorfa: What is GIA's vision in regard to reviving investment?

Bahartha: Strengthening political and security stability and creating job opportunities to lower poverty rates, which have risen above 50%, represent major challenges facing the government, and as everyone is undoubtedly aware, the current stage calls for concerted efforts to meet these challenges.

We at the GIA seek to refine the investment environment so it can be encouraging and stimulating [for investors]. We are pouring our efforts into achieving that through implementing an economic, financial and administrative reform programme adopted by the government and by completing a series of executive [branch] reforms and short-term procedures to contribute effectively towards improving the investment environment.

We also seek to implement the single-window system in the General Investment Authority, activate the role of commercial courts, and establish industrial zones. We want to allow the private sector to play a positive and active role in implementing infrastructure projects, production projects and service sector projects, and take other measures so Yemen can become an attractive environment for foreign and Arab investment.

The investment promotion plan will target a number of investors, including Yemeni expatriates, to entice them to invest in targeted economic sectors and thus improve Yemen's image abroad.

I call on investors, both in-country and abroad, to invest in Yemen and benefit from investment incentives and emerging opportunities the country is uniquely positioned to offer. I assure them Yemen is still well and possesses many competitive features and opportunities, making it attractive to various investment interests. The national reconciliation government is making intensive efforts to create a safe and stimulating investment environment.

Al-Shorfa: What are the implications of the [recent] Friends of Yemen conference on [Yemen's] investment environment?

Bahartha: The Friends of Yemen conference, attended by representatives of the governments of our fellow Arab countries, European countries, America and a number of donor [organisations], represented a turning point and a glimmer of hope for the national economy, which has experienced considerable stagnation for almost two years now. [Participants there] emphasised the importance of supporting Yemen on political, security and economic levels.

Partnerships between Yemen, its friends and other brotherly countries are crucial to lifting Yemen out of the devastating crisis ravaging its infrastructure and national economy. We are optimistic about the outcome of the conference based on our confidence in the Friends ' thorough understanding of the critical stage the country is going through and the fact they will spare no effort in providing generous support so Yemen can be delivered to safety.

Through my reading of the investment component of the phased stability and development programme for the upcoming two years [2012-2014], which was drafted by the national reconciliation government through the Ministry of Planning and International Co-operation, I found that the government and stakeholders evaluated the situation thoroughly. I am confident […] the implementation of the contents of this document will help bring about political and security stability. This will in turn enhance the prospect of the onset of economic stability and restoration of investor confidence.

The government has allocated over $10 billion in its programme to meet political, security, economic and humanitarian needs, including infrastructure projects Yemen presented at the donor conference. These projects encompass 89 investment projects involving work on electricity [networks], roads, port revitalisation and the reconstruction of what was destroyed during the crisis, among other [needs].

Al-Shorfa: What about the new investment projects launched since the beginning of this year?

Bahartha: There were 17 investment projects registered with the General Investment Authority in the first quarter of this year, which cost 46.7 billion riyals ($216 million).

The projects have fixed assets totalling 4.8 billion riyals ($22.3 million) and will create 901 jobs.

The service sector dominates the list of registered projects, with capital investment totalling 45.3 billion riyals ($210 million), including the Jinan Aden [Aden Garden] project which cost 42.7 billion riyals ($198 million).

The industrial sector ranks second on the list, with capital investment totalling 1.2 billion riyals ($5.6 million). Projects include building material-manufacturing plants. The agricultural sector came in third place, with capital investment totalling 91.7 million riyals ($425,000) in two investment projects involving botanical and livestock production farms in Hadramawt province.

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    بهاء الدين الزمر

    2013-1-6

    We wish that the officials would work sincerely as a team in order to improve the economic and security conditions and to enjoy a comfortable and safe life in our countries. We wish to go back to our homeland. When will the day come when we see Yemen as the Prophet, peace be upon him, described it.

  • انور

    2012-8-20

    The Gulf States had better target investors in order to help Yemen. Indeed, the investors could start important projects which could help in the development of Yemen as a unified State. They could also solve the problems of unemployment and poverty which mar the life of many Yemenis. Besides, the Friends of Yemen should participate in the efforts to help Yemen overcome the ongoing crisis. In this respect, the Gulf States must establish suitable projects and create a favorable investment environment in order to encourage the investors to work in Yemen. The Gulf States should view Yemen as a country which still holds the chances of success for their projects. These States are also supposed to provide material assistance and moral support to Yemen to regain its strength and overcome this difficult period. On the other hand, the Yemeni State must show more interest in their country through restoring security and stability. In addition, the Gulf States must provide Yemen with financial support in order to enable the Yemeni Government to achieve the national reconciliation and to reconstruct the country. In fact, many Yemeni regions were devastated. The Gulf States should also help Yemen to find solutions to the problem of unemployment by creating new jobs, training the Yemeni workers and encouraging foreign investment. They should also help Yemen in addressing terrorism and eradicating those groups that violate sanctities and unjustly kill innocent people. They should also enable Yemen to tackle piracy on the country's borders. Indeed, they must help Yemen during the transition period by helping them to transfer power in a peaceful and lawful way in order to achieve the demands of the people and restore social justice among all the citizens. Moreover, the Gulf States must help Yemen to achieve security and stability. They must help Yemen to reform the Armed Forces in order to restore security and stability so that the community could serve the nation as appropriate.

  • جبار احمد

    2012-8-20

    The investment of the Gulf States in Yemen is an effective means to tackle poverty and unemployment in this poor country. Over the recent period, Yemen has suffered from serious damage, which affected the political and economic conditions. Such deterioration resulted in the decline and the halt of investment in major projects that were the main factor of the development of the economy. Fortunately, the Gulf States adopted the so-called Gulf Initiative. Since that time the situation has started to improve.

  • همام علي

    2012-8-18

    For many years, Yemen has been suffering from poverty and needs as a result of unemployment and the lack of job opportunities in the country which would raise the level of living of the family for the better. This caused the deployment of retardation as well as administrative and financial corruption which affected most of the government institutions in Yemen because of the wrong policies adopted by the government of Yemen, which used to work independently away from the people, leading to the deterioration of most of the governmental sectors in the country and also leading to the failure of the development which in turn led to the stumbling of the economy. It gives the society the ability to achieve development in order to raise the standard of living of the humans in the country and because the government of Yemen has been working under the dictatorial political system in the country and the absence of the democratic principles that will enhance the popular participation in the governance and the provision of the services to the people of the country in order to achieve the political stability. The ruling system in the country was subjected to a lot of criticism in addition to the growth of an intellectual trend objecting the practices of the governing authority which exercises the various types of injustice and corruption in the society. It led to the weakening of the economy's infrastructure as a result of the fact that the present government exercised the method of looting and plundering of the country's money and the lack of the provision of care to the citizen who suffers from poverty and starvation due to the lack of job opportunities, the spread of unemployment and the raising prices throughout the country as well as the failure of the government to find solutions that will address this problem and alleviate the pressure on the citizens who can no longer endure this situation.

  • ابو سهى

    2012-8-15

    The Yemeni Government must open the door for international business trade by attracting the foreign investments because the work and the creation of larger projects may provide plenty of job opportunities. Thus, it will eliminate unemployment and the statistics indicate that Yemen will produce good quantities of petroleum and its derivatives. Yemen has major petroleum fields in all the Arabian Gulf. Therefore, the Yemeni Government should ensure the development of its petroleum fields to increase the petroleum and the oil production with the aim of increasing the national petroleum wealth and in response to the social and the economic development requirements in the country where the oil has contributed in a significant proportion to the value of the domestic production. Also, it has captured a larger proportion of the general budget form the Yemeni revenue and it is more than three quarters of the value of the Yemeni exports.

  • اسعد جبار

    2012-8-15

    The State of Yemen is classified as one of the largest developing Arab countries with a severely deteriorating economy. In comparison to its normal per capita income with the Arab States, it was clear that Yemen occupied the last place among the Arab States and the macroeconomy in Yemen depended mainly on oil and petroleum wealth in the country and a little bit of fish resources and agro-tourism. The government of Yemen should do the following: First, attract the major foreign companies to work in Yemen and recruit the Yemeni labor force to be trained as well as create sophisticated and effective cadres among them that can use the technology in the fields of oil, mining, fishing and farming. As for tourism, which is also a great source of income for the Yemeni people, the government must help the unemployed youth to know the history of Yemen and their great monuments, and work as tourist guides, thus, another area to eliminate unemployment would be created.

  • سلطان عبود

    2012-8-15

    Yemen has a coastal strip whose length reaches about 2,000 km. This coast is rich with various types of fish and marine creatures as well as many islands in the Red Sea and the Arabian sea. The regional Yemeni waters contain many types of fish and many different marine creatures. Therefore, the fishing resources are one of the most important key sectors of the economy. The Yemeni fishing sector is also a powerful resource for creating exports; however, the fish exports’ worth reached very large amounts and the stocks of fish allow catching thousands of tons without influencing the stock. Thus, the size of what is caught is still limited and the government should encourage the fishermen as well as give them appropriate courses in the best way to catch the local Yemeni fish. The government must contribute to this sector and give it the right opportunity in the local production, which is still very small and limited because of the low fish catches resulting from the lack of the use of modern technology for fishing and the presence of constraints that do not exploit this wealth. Therefore, the Yemeni Government must attract the global fishing companies which use modern technology in fishing and require them to recruit the Yemeni workers in this project because they have prioritize the wealth of their country and also to help the unemployed youth get a job in order to eliminate the unemployment among the young Yemeni people.

  • صبري حميد

    2012-8-15

    The administrative and governmental corruption emerged in the Yemeni gas extraction deals and the export of it with foreign partnership as well as the commercial trade at a very cheap and too low price in relation to the world prices of liquefied gas. The Yemeni Government must address this internal corruption so that the foreign companies and the foreign investments would not be discouraged from working in Yemen and also we can overcome the unemployment and end the sit-ins, the demonstrations, the direction of these young people to work and produce, and the development of Yemen and its progress.

  • يونس صلاح

    2012-8-15

    As the power has moved, now it becomes quite natural for the administration of Yemen and its new government to consider and to aptly address that problem. Perhaps the most successful treatment method for this problem is for the Yemeni Government to encourage foreign investment and open the door for the global companies to come to the land of Yemen and implement their projects there, which will have a huge amount of benefits to Yemen. Most obviously, it will provide plenty of job opportunities which will certainly contribute to solving the unemployment crisis that existed for the youth as they will also help the rapid development of the State of Yemen, as most global companies are using the latest scientific methods to address the problems they face in their work. Therefore, a very modern technology would be transferred to the Yemeni State. Those companies also have a very large capital which will help in the speedy implementation of those tasks and the Yemeni Government would thus benefit greatly from the presence of foreign investments on its territory with several advantages, the most important of which is addressing the problem of unemployment.

  • قاسم حميد

    2012-8-15

    The government should open the door for foreign oil and petroleum investments to attract the international companies operating in the field of oil extraction and refining that make use of modern technology in this area. Since there would be major companies working on great projects and areas, the problem of unemployment will decrease as the investment and the work on large projects use all the labor force in the country first and then unemployment will be completely eliminated. As for the liquefied natural gas project, which is the largest project that has been done in the State of Yemen in our time, it is expected to bring many gains that may come to Yemen and the Yemen Company for Liquefied Natural Gas will run this project. However, the Yemenis are now suffering from the lack of gas as a fuel for the use at homes and its prices are more than twice the price of electricity consumption for the same use. The government of Yemen should open the investment in this project to use the latest technology in the liquefied natural gas project as well as fetch and attract large global companies, working in the field of liquefied natural gas, to partnership with the national companies operating in the same area to increase the production and the production of pure liquefied gas, and licensing its price for its ease of use and circulation. It would be a simple price for the simple Yemeni national and also these national companies will get experience from the foreign companies in the same field.

  • عمر شاكر

    2012-8-15

    For Yemen, we wonder here what made the young people come out flustered against those governments. The answer is simply because the young people in the Arab world, and our conversation here certainly includes Yemen, are suffering from a severe tragedy called unemployment which the Arab Governments in general, and the Yemeni Government specifically, could not find a solution for. We meant here to address that serious problem that led to the explosion of the youth against the government, however, they no longer possess something that they fear, so either they will live in dignity or die, there is no other solution.

  • صابر خالد

    2012-8-15

    Since the State of Yemen took democracy, freedom and pluralism as political approaches, the State of Yemen opened up to the outside world and the State encouraged the national, foreign and Arab investments in the tourism and development sectors. The State has worked on strengthening the skills and capabilities of the security forces and strengthening the capacities of those working in the fight against terrorism as well as the organized and the non-organized crimes, and achieving stability and security in the State where there is the development and the economic growth, and the development of economic and developmental projects, and attraction of new investments and investment firms. However, this requires a stable and secure environment to take the results of this and its fruits in building a new democratic State and by belief and encouragement from the political leaders to fight against terrorism and terrorists, and provide a stable and secure environment. This requires addressing the problem of unemployment, poverty and provision of job opportunities for the unemployed people and appeasing them.

  • شاكر فاروق

    2012-8-12

    Working on completing the Yemeni projects would generate massive number of the jobs to the Yemeni youth and the Arab youth in general. This would beneficial to all youth of the Arabs and it also would help Yemen to go through the current economic and social crisis. However, we are always required to put the documented plans form all leaderships and experiments to take good and verified steps that help the state to move forward rather than going back. We have been fed up with the backwardness and this is the time for us to build our grandeur. This is the time for the Arabs to fascinate the world with their massive creative abilities and wonderful geniuses who can make all the beautiful things once it rests in the hands of an original Arab. The Arabs have always been so since the ancient times, and they succeeded in achieving this during long centuries and they can do it again.

  • مجيد حسن

    2012-8-12

    The great Republic of Yemen faces extremely difficult economic conditions after the circumstances of instability and mistrust that dominated the relationship between all parties in addition to the rampancy of the crimes and the unprecedented criminal trends because the criminals realized that they would not be punished. There is no authority to punish the criminals, because the police forsook its main role in protecting the country. Quite the contrary, the policemen currently kills the citizens because of expressing their objections to the injustice that afflicted them. The current problems are consequences of the peaceful and free Yemeni revolution, which must succeed because there are hundreds of the innocent souls were killed during it in order to bring the life back to the friendly Yemen. All the active political powers must reconcile whether in the Yemeni government the other groups of the Yemeni people. Each party should listen to the others so that security returns to the streets of Yemen. The Yemeni government and the concerned economic ministries must open the door before the foreign investment, especially in the Gulf States to allow the government to hold greater projects on the land of Yemen, which would provide jobs to the youth in Yemen. The only solution that would allow Yemen to restore its grandeur and the spirit of the international civilization is to unify all the efforts and do its best to restore the awareness and rise from its fall.

  • جميل صالح

    2012-8-12

    Yemen has to accept the foreign support that is represented in the foreign or Arab investments, because it is a matter of trade and business rather than grants or donations. Indeed, some Arab states provided aids to Yemen, but the situation is very difficult in Yemen and there is a necessity for the rest of the Arab brothers in Yemen to help. Yemen is in its worst conditions and no one ever imagined that it would reach the current situation because of the recession and the economic deterioration. The cooperation between the Arab states would allow them to achieve the impossible. Together, the Arabs can help the distressed Arab states following the series of the national revolutions in Yemen and other states. The people of Yemen are good and they can do the impossible if they had the suitable tools and methods.

  • شوكت فارس

    2012-8-12

    The friendly state of Yemen has suffered recently from serious economic deterioration that took the country centuries backward following the revolution that erupted in this country at the hands of the national and popular movements that sought to topple the regime and the rulers. This was a noble purpose as it is founded on the rejection of the oppression and tyranny, but it always comes with the destruction. However, the only thing that makes people show some patience is that they are mere temporary results until things settle down. But the problem is that the conditions deteriorated terribly at all levels in Yemen economically, militarily, and socially. The decline affected everything and all what we have is the hope in Allah to fix the affairs and improve our conditions and compensate Yemen for what afflicted it. All the Arab states must help Yemen, provide it with economic aids, and help its stock exchange. Yemen needs help to rise again because all resources of Yemen are in a state of depression and it needs urgent assistance and bloom. Of course, no one would offer this help except the Arab states.

  • ابو حكيم

    2012-8-12

    There is no shame if Yemen decided to import the experiences and the necessary human powers in all fields to help it rise from its slip. The shame is in surrender to the fall. However, we can make use of the foreign experiences and the foreign human resources to improve the conditions of our country and teach the great Yemeni youth such experiences to develop them and make them better and greater. Indeed, one’s nature always prevail the unoriginal traits and the Arabs have always been known for their power, courage, genius, and creativity. We have always been like this for centuries and we will remain so if we decided to restore our grandeur. Power is integral part of our nature and destiny and we shall never forsake it. Everything would be easy if we overcame our disagreements and became united. The Arabs have always been the masters of the country and we will be so despite of the malicious people.

  • عبدالله حسن

    2012-8-10

    All the Arabs states not only the Gulf States are required to interfere in order to solve the internal Yemeni conflict and it must be solved peacefully to avoid war between the Arab states. We do not want the Arab states to remain standstill in the face of those who have heavy weapons. We want them to be united in the face of corruption, terrorism, the terrorists, and the extremists. With regard to the fish wealth, Yemen has joint borders with Saudi Arabia and Egypt on the Red Sea. Hence, all the fish and marine relations between the Arab states must be strengthened between Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the UAE in this sea through establishing joint projects in it. Yemen also has The Bab-el-Mandeb Strait exclusively and no other state has control over it. Hence, the Arab states that enjoy economic and structural development must help Yemen to develop this area and establish some projects that make Yemen strong and powerful. The Gulf States must conclude the joint defense treaty and it should be headed by a different state every year to avoid the hegemony of a certain state. All these measures aim at defending the Gulf States to live in peace and security and to fight terrorism and eliminate it in the Gulf area.

  • شاهد كريم

    2012-8-10

    The government must encourage the fishermen and provide them with the suitable courses regarding the best ways of fishing the local fishes. The government must contribute to this sector and give it the chance to improve the Yemeni local production, which is still limited due to the low fish production and not using the modern technological methods and the presence of the obstacles that prevents the utilization of this wealth. Hence, the Yemeni government must attract the international fishing companies.

  • محمد عزمي

    2012-8-10

    The Yemeni government must solve the internal corruption not to make the foreign companies and investments escape form Yemen. This step is necessary to be able to fight unemployment and end the sit-ins and the demonstrations as well as encouraging the youth to head to the work and production and the advancement of Yemen, which has a 2000-km coast and it is rich with the all kinds of fish and marine creatures. We also have many islands in the Red Sea and Arab Sea. The local Yemeni waters include different types of fish. Consequently, the fish wealth is one of the main sectors of the economy. The fishing sector in Yemen also can also be a good source of income to make exports. The value of the fish exports reached high amounts and the reserves of the fish wealth allows hunting thousands of tons without being affected. Hence, the current amount of fish is limited.

  • غريب حمدي

    2012-8-10

    The Yemeni government must open the door before the investment in this project to use the advanced and new technologies in the liquefied gas field in addition to attracting the major international companies, which work in the field of liquefied gas to enter in partnerships with the national companies that work in the same sector to increase the production and to produce pure liquefied gas at low prices because it is easy to use and its price is suitable to the Yemeni government. The national companies will also learn the necessary experience from the foreign companies in the same field. However, the governmental and administrative corruption appeared in the contracts of the extraction of the Yemeni natural liquefied gas and exporting it to foreign countries to be traded at very prices in comparison with the international prices.

  • واحد جمال

    2012-8-8

    The energy and oil sector in Yemen achieved many improvements in the inputs and outputs exceeding all the obstacles and challenges, which were expected to decrease its development. The prices of the oil derivatives and gas continued rising in the international markets. However, the Yemeni national companies in this sector maintained their ability to get financing to enter into ambitious petroleum investments and continue the existing projects after developing them to enjoy harvesting their fruits. The most important fruits are the elimination of the unemployment. Therefore, the Yemeni government must open the doors before the foreign investments and use of the advanced technologies in the modern time. Internationally, the flourishing oil and energy sector in Yemen is one of the sectors that were affected within the minimum limits by the negative performance of the other economic sectors in the Yemeni state. In addition, the sector of the energy and mining proved that it is not severely vulnerable to the economic fluctuations and the negative trends of the economic activities. It also opened the door before the foreign companies to launch a type of the development inside Yemen, which would lead to the use of all the modern technologies in the industry and recruitment of the unemployed workforce and creating major projects to provide jobs to the Yemeni workers.

  • سليم قاسم

    2012-8-4

    The fact is that the Arabic States are supporting Yemen as the Arabic States seriously began supporting the Yemeni people and this produces good fruits among the Muslims and the people of the same people through their great shared cooperation and unity. They are always one hand and this is the way we should always be. The people of Egypt, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, and the people of Iraq must remove the existing disagreements among the Arabic countries and form a new Arabic unity, and our great country Yemen exists between the States and the people and strengthens the spirit of love between the country and the people of Kuwait, and all the people of the Arabic States as one hand because we are an Arab nation, and the good comes to all of us. Regarding this standby of the Yemenis, I think that there is a great readiness to stand by each other, no matter how they try, this is my opinion. Now, let us discuss the points that led to embracing this view. Therefore, this will benefit the Arabic States so we must work together and be always helpful in all the aspects of life such as the military and the economic sectors as well as in all the areas so that the Arabs would be advancing and the Arabs would be defying the west, and the other States, and show them that we are better than them in everything. Part of the fruits of our cooperation is that it has helped Yemen to stand again, to restore the movement of production and move towards progress again which leads to the recovery of Yemen economically. Also, I expect Yemen to be at the forefront of the Arabic States in the near future.

  • فوزي

    2012-8-4

     Yemen has always been known in history since ancient times, and will always be one of the greatest and best Arab nations, as that sister country has managed to build the greatest civilization in a short time, without any aid from anyone except for relying on the genius of its people and the brilliant ability of their achievement. Indeed, it has established a great and remarkable civilization, but the case now is different from before. However, Yemen is now going through the worst period of general deterioration in all the areas and sectors in the country, as a result of the insecurity and the wide spread of chaos, as well as the complete absence of stability in the country of Yemen. The Gulf States have done a great job that the Arab nations will never forget, and history will never forget it either. This act was real support, provided by the sister Gulf countries to the Yemeni State, and this was in fact moral support, rather than financial, and it equals lots and lots for the nation of Yemen to see the Gulf States striving to strengthen the Yemeni territory and trying to improve the situation on its territory. This must be done by all the Arab states and nations, and not only the Gulf countries, but also Yemen would recover again its former glory that it had among the Arab nations during that time. Yemen was a great nation and will always be one of the greatest nations, with the help of their sisters of the Arab States.

  • خضير

    2012-8-2

    The global crises have affected all investors in their countries, so how can these investments grow in other countries? There is no doubt that this investment environment is considered an integrated and consistent environment, that they also have constant political stability, economic stability and also social stability. It is expected that the world will witness powerful new investment flows during the next periods, especially since the beginning of the end of the struggle that lasted for so long between the Yemeni government and Yemeni rebels is coming, and also the movement in southern Yemen. In addition to that, Yemen is keen to continue and proceed with these economic reforms and with developing and improving the Yemeni investment environment, which will lead Yemen to prosperity and improving its rank in the international reports, which will reflect positively on the investments flow into Yemen.

  • ياسين ممدوح

    2012-8-2

    The official report showed that unemployment has been very high in Yemen within the last years to an extreme level. This calls for quick and closed solutions to limit the enormous increase in the level of unemployment in Yemen, and to develop coordinated plans implemented by experts in the application of these solutions. No doubt that the increased role of foreign investment in Yemen will lead to the creation of more jobs for the citizens and to reducing the severity of unemployment.

  • غانم هادي

    2012-8-2

    The Yemeni government has set up stability and development phases programs as an actual plan of short-term development. These are designed to achieve and restore economic, political and social stability. The Saudi Kingdom was also interested in the security, safety and stability of the situations and conditions and the growth of Yemen, and it has announced the intention to grant financial aid, which is huge financial aid, weighed against the balance as a contribution in strengthening the development projects built on the land of Yemen. These will be agreed upon and applied in Yemen accordingly, according to the transition plan. It includes the right word to strengthen all and all sectors, economic or social sectors, and it also includes developing the cultural aspect.

  • ابو هدى

    2012-8-2

    There is no doubt is that the State of Yemen is a great country with a genuine civilization and a long history and it's not a case of a stray desperate and dispersion frustration. The Yemeni citizen is creative and faithful and committed to his contribution in building his homeland and it is all real assistance and support. Therefore, the safety, stability and development of Yemen is the responsibility of those great international repercussions, and that lies on the UN Security Council and the justification of the need for genuine international commitment to meet the requirements and ways of effective development in Yemen. And also there is no controversy or debate about his words that the ancient Yemen country faces this time a current economic situation and humanitarian, political and security situations that are difficult and complex, which in turn puts it in the depths of a real crisis on the economic and humanitarian fronts in an unprecedented way never, during the previous year have significantly increased unity and strength of the economic challenges of the financial and social development of all kinds and security challenges because of the implications of these recent events that have been witnessed and experienced in the Yemeni arena, where these tired events participated in events leading to a sharp decline in strong economic activity in general and a useless stoppage of a large part of a huge planned investment program and also freezing permanent aid and aid granted by some of the volunteers for help.

  • ياسر جبار

    2012-8-1

    Although there are many local and international variables in those previous years, most notably, the financial crisis that the world feel and the security conditions that prevailed in the country of Yemen, however, noted the presence of the growth and inflation for the investment projects GCC great recorded in the hands of the General Authority for Investment. Official reports have revealed that these industrial projects that have been recorded in the year 2009 have witnessed a hit and a clear reduction in the number and revenue and cost of the investment allocated. Industrial projects has occupied the record during the three years preceding the first rank at the top global investment during the previous years and this is in itself a positive sign to take into account the fact that these industrial projects, facilitate and provide a large number and great opportunities for various jobs. Yemen government has made precious efforts to secure a fertile environment suitable for attracting these investments foreign and domestic implementation of changes in the trade laws was announced also the investment law is known to be consistent and compatible with the global conditions that we live in the moment, especially the laws and customs of world trade body, the Council of Cooperation Gulf World.

  • سليمان غريب

    2012-8-1

    Yemen government should open the foreign investment to eliminate unemployment in Yemen. The report of general authority of Yemen Investment pointed that Yemen record high foreign investment in major projects within the last two years, they also pointed about the ability of Sanaa city to attract Arab investment, the main reason for this improvement was resulted from correct applications of promotion planning policy directed toward specific companies in some sectors, this authority succeeded to implement the 4 principles of their policy that are a siding politics and the establishment of such a positive image for Yemen country and to facilitate and attract these investments.

  • اكثم

    2012-7-28

    Economists have been immensely perplexed with Yemen making its way towards joining the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) while the country has turned into a mere billboard, especially after that three Gulf countries, namely Bahrain, the UAE and Qatar, made efforts and discussed competitive trade agreements with the US, which means that the admission of Yemen is of no benefit at the present time. There are many sources affirming that Yemen has indeed accepted the creation of a free zone, but with the condition of setting up a fund to compensate for any losses that any party could incur, which certainly reaffirms Yemen’s fear of sure losses that it will incur after the elimination of customs duties and tariffs, which is a huge revenue source for the government. It added that this condition was not accepted by the GCC countries, and that orders from higher levels have been given regarding the necessity of seriously approving and executing any demands made by the GCC in order to expedite the admission of Yemen to it. Regardless of how much exaggeration there might be in this until this comes out, whether the intention was pointing towards the fact that Oman joined Kuwait, and that Bahrain approved their unequivocal rejection of Yemen’s admission to the GCC, which is most likely the case and which appeared to be the case from the summit that was held during its last session, which would make the issue of Yemen joining the GCC an impossibility, and that the concern of the summit and the GCC – the summit was held in an Arab country with the support of Yemen – had surpassed what came out in the closing statement and the party providing support in the efforts for Gulf development and investments, and it showed that there is a Gulf head of state that spoke during a closed session of the Arab leaders about the future relations between the GCC and Yemen, and by doing this he was supporting the latter’s admission in the future.

  • شنشل

    2012-7-28

    The situation of poverty and the poor people in Yemen is not due to the lack or shortage of natural resources that are present in Yemen, or not due to the lack of entrepreneurship and initiatives to innovate, which are the power that nations that are poor in natural resources have, like the Asian countries that are new to manufacturing, but rather it is due to various internal and external factors that could hamper and impede and halt the revitalization of the economy in Yemen. It is sufficient to consider the fact that the city of Aden, which has now become the economic capital of the new and modern Yemeni republic, was in the past a nexus for international maritime trading activities in the whole world, and it was unsurpassed and unprecedented in that aspect of international trade. The beginning of the decline of the importance of this port was after the independence of Yemen, as the number of vessels passing through it went down considerably and these vessels were using the services of the southern port of Yemen. The global economic stagnation, which many of the Arab countries in the Gulf suffered, began to appear years ago as a result of the general fall in the price of crude oil, which dealt a very severe and damaging blow to the economies of northern and southern Yemen. And so, the money transfers from northern Yemeni expatriates, and the situation here is that this cash revenue represents a very small part of the overall revenue of the brotherly country of Yemen, and as such it is the duty of the Gulf countries and indeed the whole Arab world to help and assist Yemen in overcoming these crises.

  • خليل صابر

    2012-7-20

    The Government of the State of Yemen must focus on opening these areas to companies for development and progress and also for tourism to be developed and to develop its programs. The State must attract the great companies that are working, for example, in restoration of monuments and developing them. The Yemeni state must also open the closed museums and develop them to attract the tourists and to employ the unemployed laborers who are without work and without posts. The President of the State must work on operational programs to employ the Yemeni labor and for the fishing sector the State must open the door to companies specialized in this area and which are using modern technological ways and methods of fishing that are not harmful to the environment nor the marine resources and organisms. Thus, recruiting some of the unemployed people of the Yemeni nation in these companies to learn and increase their experience from these companies and then break away from them to open private companies with the help and support of the Government, of course. And God’s blessing.

  • حمادة

    2012-7-18

    The Arab States suffer from critical conditions at the political and economic levels, and they are, therefore, targeted at those levels. However, at the economic level, they are forming varying and inconsistent systems in terms of the quality, production and progress, and have narrow markets. Their production is subject to the competitition of the foreign goods and not each system individually, i.e. a negotiated or contractual weight at the global level with the major economic blocs as if they are one bloc. They are targeted within the framework of the distribution of the international action by the advanced and the industrial countries to remain in the third world countries which are the exporters of raw materials and cheap primary materials, and importing the advanced industrial goods with high prices.

  • عصام

    2012-7-18

    The frequency of alarming and worrying warnings increased in Yemen as a result of the deterioration of the tragic economic and living conditions of the poor Yemeni people in a way that makes likely the occurrence of violent outbreaks of famine among the poor Yemenis as well as the growing and rising numbers of the poor in Yemen who are facing difficult circumstances in their lives as a result of the low level of their economic income, which comes along with their harsh suffering caused by the factors of the political events and as a result of the slow resolution of the settlement of the Yemeni political crisis. Currently, Yemen is still experiencing political splits, events and armed confrontations between different groups, whether by the elements of al-Qaeda or by other political parties affiliated under the name of the tribal, partisan or ideological communities.

  • نعمان

    2012-7-12

    These investment projects would help the government to provide jobs to the youth in order to establish their life instead of the despair in which they live. Furthermore, these projects will encourage the other states to invest their money inside Yemen to achieve good profits. All investors wish to work in many places as long as they are sure that they would succeed. The Yemeni government must be acquainted with the tools that can encourage the investor to carry out his projects in Yemen. For example, they should offer the lands at law prices and they can also cancel the customs duties that are imposed on all the goods and the raw materials that they bring to the country. This may be for a short period in order to encourage the businessmen to establish their projects inside the state and use them to achieve the required development that is needed in all the sectors to build a bright future to all citizens.

  • هشام نعيم

    2012-7-12

    The Yemeni government must work fast to encourage the foreign investments to start their work inside Yemen for the benefit of these investments. Yemen can provide the foreign workforce to develop the Iraqi economy and to help it have strength in the world market. The Yemeni economy deteriorated significantly as a result of the bad security conditions and the escape of many Yemeni businessmen, who have the sufficient money to establish these projects. Yemen needs all the investors and their projects, which would be a cause of the development of the industry and the productivity that were lacking in Iraq for long years.

  • حسن

    2012-7-12

    We have to reform the economic sector, which needs more resources and investment projects to achieve the renaissance in Yemen through establishing many projects that would improve the economic conditions significantly. Furthermore, many of the institutions would improve as a result of these projects. The Gulf States are very rich, but they need to send much food and health aid during these circumstances that embitter the life of the Yemeni citizen because of the acute shortage of the supplies and the needed medicines, which are needed for medical treatment. The Yemeni citizen has many rights that cannot be provided by his state due to the weak resources and the total inability to meet the living requirements. There should be fast movement on part of the government to improve the future of Yemen soon so that the citizen can live in his home without feeling any discontent.