As The Yemeni-Saudi Coordination Council Concludes Meetings: Yemen Gets Long-Term Loans of USD 300 Million [Archives:2000/51/Business & Economy]

Mohammad Bin Sallam
Yemen Times
Al-Madina Al-Monawarah
KSA
The meetings of the Yemeni-Saudi Coordination Council held in Al- Madina, KSA, during 11-12 December were said to be fruitful. The two sides discussed strategies of bilateral cooperation in a number of fields, some of which were mentioned in the final communiqu while other fields, said to be sensitive, were dropped.
Politically, The two countries agreed to coordinate their stances concerning the relations between them and other relations on the Arab and international levels. They are also to organize official visits for more discussions and review of cooperation protocols.
In the development filed the two sides agreed on a visit by the Saudi Fund for Development to Yemen to hold talks with the Yemeni officials in the ministries of Finance and Planning about rescheduling late debts of Yemen, estimated at USD 245 million. The Yemeni delegation tried to get a debt-drop, but the request was turned down under the pretext that other countries might be motivated to ask for dropping their debts if Yemen was granted a debt-drop. However, the Saudi delegation promised to provide USD 300 million as long-term loans in support of development projects that will be executed under the full supervision of the Saudi Fund. By this Yemens debts raises to USD 545 million.
In education, a number of qualified Saudi teachers are to be sent to work in Yemen. In addition, Saudi Arabia agreed on providing a limited number of scholarships to Yemeni students. They also agreed on reviewing the school text-books taught at schools of both countries to make sure that they are free of material that harms bilateral relations. The Saudi delegation stated that more than 150 thousand Yemeni students study at the Saudi schools. Those include immigrants.
In agriculture, they agreed on facilitating exchange of agricultural products and exchange of visits of ministers.
In the health field it was agreed to treat one hundred cases in Saudi hospitals every year. They also discussed means of enhancing health cooperation.
Discussion of the Yemeni laborers was postponed by the Saudi side to another meeting. However, the time was not identified. In a press statement, an officer in Sanaa International Airport said that one thousand Yemenis were driven out of the KSA on December 13-14 2000. The Saudi authorities commented that they were illegally living in the kingdom.
On the subject of investment and trade they stressed the commercial cooperation as one of the main cooperative areas between them. They decided to make every efforts to enhance such cooperation and encourage the private sector to invest in both countries taking advantage of the many facilities both countries offer for investors. Ministers of Trade and Industry were requested to encourage investors to increase joint ventures. In this context, prime Minister, Dr. Abdul Kareem Al-Iryani met with a number of Yemeni businessmen who live in the KSA and urged them to invest in their motherland. He also listened to their reasons for refraining from investment in Yemen.
The two sides also discussed issues related to electricity and assigned ministers of Electricity of the two countries to make studies on possible future cooperation.
In transportation, the delegations discussed means of developing transportation of goods and passengers through the two countries in order to back up trade and the bilateral interests.
On the issue of culture, youths and sports, the authorities concerned were assigned to outline the cooperation framework that will be presented in the next meeting.
As for oil and mineral wealth, a joint committee is to be formed under the supervision of the ministers of Interior. The committee will include ministries of Defense and Oil which will get together to outline the work-plans to survey the border areas.
In aviation, the council assigned the general directors of the Saudi Air-ways and Yemeni Air-ways to meet with each other to discuss means of developing cooperation between the two institutions and present suggestion to the next meeting scheduled for Mid 2001 in Sanaa.
The two delegations were led by Prime Minister, Dr. Abdul Kareem Al-Iryani and Saudi Arabia second deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Airforce Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz. The meetings were attended by a number of Ministers from both sides in addition to journalists and many others.

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