President to donor countries: We accept consultancies, not resolutions and dictates [Archives:2006/921/Front Page]
By: Yasser Al-Mayasi
SANA'A, Feb. 15 ) In the first government meeting Feb. 14 since recent cabinet reshuffling, President Saleh said such reshuffling was not only for the sake of change but necessary to implement policies and jobs. He added that the new government will control corruption and resume reform, particularly economic reforms, confirming that such reform tops government reforms.
The president asserted that reforms the movement is implementing are initiated by the GPC government, not dictated by any other bodies. He declared that foreign or outside resolutions will not be accepted and will receive no interaction from national forces or Yemenis. He stated that such dictates are refused because they are true words concealing directives.
President Saleh affirmed that if donor aid contains conditions, Yemen will not accept it, stating that Yemen accepts consultancies, not resolutions. “We make use of consultancies in democracy, economic and administrative reforms and in fighting corruption,” he added.
The president's announcement and the cabinet reshuffling follow six months of donor delay granted to Yemen's government to accomplish reforms, with which the government agreed to comply. The postponement resulted from donor discontent at the Yemeni government's lack of response. Following a meeting with international organizations, donors presented their demands, stipulating that the government respond to them in the six months preceding presidential elections.
Demands that were disclosed include amending and developing election law by May to be implemented before September's elections; guaranteeing journalists' protection, indicting and punishing oppressors, as well as reforming legislation to secure true protection; and submitting a draft law granting women 15 percent of key government posts, allocating the same in election law.
Donors demanded revealing some governmental body budgets, publishing them in a simplified manner that the public could understand. They also stipulated there be transparency in the tender law. Banking system and investment environment reforms also were among donor demands, with banks being forced to comply with Brazil's treaty.
Donor demands followed Yemen's failure to qualify for the U.S. Millennium Program, which stipulates certain implementation standards. The World Bank also decreased its aid to Yemen by 34 percent, as well as the European Union and other donor countries, because of what they deemed corruption and anarchy. International reports also revealed concern over expected immense deterioration of Yemen's economic situation.
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