Significance of trade and investment partnership [Archives:2008/1122/Opinion]
By: Fuad Al-Ghaffari
The international joint trade activities constitute a motivating factor for integration of states. They rather proved more capable to have strong influence on communities. The local capital sometimes gets integrated in the joint projects in the areas of advanced technology, making use of the western experience in this respect. The medical products are one of the prominent examples in this respect, mainly as reputable medical centers like Cleveland, Mambo and Harford clinics launched joint programs with Gulf Cooperation Council member states and inaugurated local health units in these countries. In our country too, there is a positive impression about trade activities and their key role in establishing the bilateral relations between Yemen and Canada. The Yemeni government recently received Chairman of Canada's Senate upon an invitation from the Shoura Council Chairman Abdulaziz Abdulghani during the latter's visit to the western country. The Canadian dignitary met with many Yemeni officials from the Shoura Council, Parliament and the local councils with the aim knowing about Yemen's experience in the economic and political development. The visiting guest then left Sana'a for Aden, along with a group of Yemeni officials, where they discussed the means of cooperation and bilateral relations between both countries in the fields of trade and fisheries.
Canadian officials visit to Yemen also reflect the fact of deep relations between Yemen and Canada in the area of petroleum exploration and production. In the final days of 2007, First Chairman and Director of Canadian Nexen Petroleum Mr. Charles Fisher conducted a short visit to Yemen during which he meet with President Ali Abdullah Saleh. He told the Yemeni leader about his company's desire to initiate new projects in the areas of petroleum exploration and production, and electrical energy generation. Fisher briefed Saleh on how electricity can be generated from volcanoes like the Jabal Al-Tair's.
When the Jabal Al-Tair Volcano erupted, some Canadian divers helped rescue a Yemeni soldier and poll out corpses of the dead. They also contributed to the search operations, done by Yemen's coast guards. The bilateral relationship between Yemen and Canada is part of a package of mutual interests, due to culminate with opening the Canadian government's embassy in Yemen in the near future.
In general, trade transactions and communications between both friendly countries are due to lead to positive results in the long term. They may create better understanding between both governments.
Despite the fact that the joint activities may not provide short-term interests, the strategic value of both countries' long-term projects will surely be profitable for the concerned states. The joint programs alone can not settle any complicated strategic and political disputes, but they can play a pivotal role in strengthening bilateral cooperation and political determination. From another viewpoint, the shared programs mayn't provide immediate cures for all the multiple political and social issues, particularly the complicated ones, but they proved to be capable enough for breaking the hurdles between the different cultures. Also, such programs helped create the kind of human partnership that can have positive effects on relations between states, even the conflicting ones.
Source: Al-Thawra State-run Daily
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