Donors support implementation of water strategy in Yemen [Archives:2005/811/Business & Economy]
Mahyoub Al-Kamaly
The Japanese ambassador to Yemen handed over in Hudeida governorate the Japanese grant for the cleanliness sector and it was in the form of 73 various equipment for cleanliness costing an estimated $ 10 million offered as a gift from the Japanese people for Yemen and the grant would be distributed to all Yemeni governorates.
In the ceremony held on the occasion the governor of Hudeida Mohammed Saleh Shamlan confirmed the importance preserving the equipment that would provide 200 new job opportunities and contribute to realization of the goals of the strategy of poverty alleviation. In addition the event would help develop work in cleanliness nationwide, expressing gratitude and appreciation of the Yemeni people for the Japanese government and people for offering the grant that comes under the steady growing of the Yemeni-Japanese relations. On his part, the Japanese ambassador to Yemen confirmed that the government of Japan was focusing on supporting projects related to the people needs in all areas, wishing that that equipment would contribute to improve the level of cleanliness in the Yemeni major cities.
It is to be recalled that the governorate of Hudeida would receive, as part of the grant, equipment worth $600 thousand.
On the other hand, the ministry of planning and international cooperation hosted a consultative meeting with representatives of the donor states and international organizations. Mr. Ahmed Mohammed Soufan, deputy premier, the minister of planning and international cooperation and participation of ambassadors and representatives of donor countries and international organizations working in Yemen, chaired the meeting.
The meeting, attended by Dr Mohammed Lutf al-Iryani, the minister of waters and environment, was devoted to discussing the water situation in Yemen and the future support by donors to the sector of waters in the light of the strategy on investment in this field. The meeting also discussed the possibility of organizing a plenary meeting with donors aimed at offering material support by donor countries to implement outputs of water sector's strategy.
In the meeting, Mr Soufan had indicated that the strategy of waters sector had received interest from donors and would require from the government the approval of its document so that to be a reference for the donor countries in their support for the waters strategy. Mr Soufan also made it clear that the strategy included policies and measures related to supporting this sector, in addition to that the strategy had defined the nature of the needs in terms of the volume of investments that is expected to reach in the five next years to around $550 million. Mr Soufan has affirmed that realisation of the goals of this strategy is considered as the major milestone for the economic growth in Yemen and that it is the real investment for many areas.
Representatives of donor parties have pledged to support the waters sector strategy that is considered among the most important sources of economic and investment growth in Yemen because it forms an utmost importance in development of agriculture in all Yemeni areas especially those that suffer from water shortages.
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