In brief [Archives:2008/1127/Local News]

ADEN

– British technical assistance to Aden Fine Arts Institute

Feb. 6 ) The director of the British Cultural Center in Yemen, Elizabeth White, expressed on Tuesday the center's readiness to provide technical and musical assistance to the Aden-based Fine Arts Institute.

During her visit to the institute, Elizabeth said that the center would also send British teachers specialized in music to the institute to help students become qualified. She toured the institute and expressed her admiration of its role in training students in the areas of music, theater and sculpture.

SANA'A

– UNHCR calls on Int'l community to assist Yemen

Feb. 5 ) The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) called on the international community to offer the necessary assistance to Yemen to enable the country to tackle the consequences of its adopted open door policy towards refugees. In a training course held on Tuesday to introduce 30 government officials to UN pacts and treaties on refugee affairs, UNHCR Representative Adel Yasamin reviewed the

history of the UNHCR and the international agreement on refugee rights adopted by the UN in 1951 and another protocol in 1967.

During the opening of the two-day course, Minister of Human Rights Huda al-Ban said that the course comes in the framework of the ministry's efforts for acquainting concerned officials with the necessary information that will enable them to do their work efficiently.

She pointed out that the ministry will issue a national law for refugees, as Yemen is one of the countries receiving high numbers of refugees from the African Horn and other countries.

DHAMAR

– World Bank supports sanitation project with $8 million

Feb. 5 ) Dhamar governor Mansour Abdul-Rab discussed on Tuesday with a World Bank delegation methods of implementing part of the second phase of a water and sanitation project in Dhamar and Ma'abar estimated to cost $8 million, funded by the World Bank.

The governor discussed leadership efforts in the governorate to provide sanitation services in light of the rapid growth the city is experiencing.

For his part, delegation head Ilex MacKay reviewed World Bank efforts in carrying out sanitation projects in a number of the country's governorates, confirming the necessity of choosing the most needy districts in the governorate to be included in this phase. He indicated that the project would be kicked off this year and would last until 2009, confirming the World Bank's readiness to carry out projects in the governorate for making use of waste water in irrigating garden and public plants.

TAIZ

– Agreement to protect Taiz city against floods approved

Feb. 5 ) The Cabinet agreed in its meeting held on Tuesday on a funding agreement for a municipal project to protect Taiz city against floods, an agreement signed between the government of Yemen and the International Development Association (IDA) on January 27, 2008, through which the IDA would provide Yemen with $20 million for the project.

The project consists of constructing protection facilities against floods and improving the city's infrastructure by connecting 2 kilometers of roads.

The Cabinet then authorized concerned ministers for completing measures finalizing approval of the agreement.

ABYAN

– Abyan governor stresses need of implementing water, sanitation projects

Feb. 4 ) Abyan governor Mohammed Shamlan asserted on Monday the necessity of finalizing all studies and designs of the Abyan Water and Sanitation Project. During his meeting with a German water and sanitation expert in charge of following-up the project, Shamlan emphasized the importance of speeding up the implementation of the project, by which Zinjubar, Jea'ar, al-Kod and al-Hessn cities would benefit.

Shamlan talked about the project's importance to the cities' citizens, who he claims are in danger of overflowing drainage and consequent environmental and health effects on them. The German expert said that all studies would be ready in April 2008 and the project would be initiated next September. The Abyan Water and Sanitation Project costs $ 20 million, financed by the German Construction Bank.
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