$210 Million for Yemen [Archives:2002/10/Business & Economy]

By Mahyoub al-Kamali
Yemen Times Staff
Yemen will receive new loans worth US $210 million from the World Bank.
Road, water and sanitation projects will take up $ 190 million of the total, said Ahmed Mohammed Sufan, Minister of Planning and Development. Education will also get a portion of the balance.
The WB will also provide the necessary technical assistance for the work, which is geared to help alleviate poverty in Yemen.
Jan Luis, Vice-president of the World Bank for the Middle East & North Africa, said Yemen enjoys good relations with the WB, and that has not changed as a result of the September 11 attacks against the US.
He added that the bank has been supporting the Yemeni government to reassess the consequences of the attacks.
Luis points out that Yemen has already achieved positive results with the support of the WB in areas of education, health, water and rural roads.
He also said that WB wants to help the country with its economic performance by creating an environment conducive for investment and reducing unemployment.
Luis met President Saleh, who briefed him on Yemen’s efforts to deal with such national issues.
Ways of enhancing the existing partnership between Yemen and the WB, especially with regard to upgrading the civil service, were also discussed.
The World Bank is implementing 19 projects for roads construction estimated at $45 million Another $150 million will be earmarked for new water and sanitation projects.
Yemen is currently implementing an economic reform program with the support of the WB, which is also supervising the reconstruction of the government’s enterprise and developing oil and energy resources.

——
[archive-e:10-v:2002-y:2002-d:2002-03-04-p:./2002/iss10/b&e.htm]