World Bank regional development expert: “Qat use in Yemen is a national emergency”” [Archives:2008/1219/Business & Economy]”

By: Nadia Al-Sakkaf
“A national habit, and increasing by 10 percent per year, Qat production is threatening development and requires urgent, high level intervention,” explained Julie G. Viloria-Williams, Sustainable Development expert from the World Bank's Middle East & North Africa Region office in an interview with Yemen Times.

Julie G. Viloria-Williams has over 25 years of experience with the World Bank in sustainable people-based development. She held positions in Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Eastern and Central Asian countries before becoming the Middle East and North Africa regional expert in September last year. She is the team leader in the Qat dialogue task in Yemen, which represents the World Bank's assistance to Yemen in dealing with this issue. Her job involves research into the issues and development needs of countries within the MENA region, and identification of potential threats, especially on the issues that affect the livelihood of citizens.

“Because of the urgency of the Qat problem in Yemen