Yemen, Saudi Arabia sign accords: Upgrade in bilateral relations anticipated [Archives:2006/952/Front Page]
Yasser Al-Mayasi
SANA'A, June 3 ) The Yemeni-Saudi Coordination Council's 17th session concluded its meetings Friday in the city of Mukalla, Hadramout governorate, with fruitful and considerable results.
The two sides signed the final version of maps for the international border treaty between the two neighborly countries. They also signed minutes on exchanging documents concerning a memorandum of understanding regarding preserving marine life diversity.
Other agreements signed included three loan agreements to finance road building projects, the first of which is the Haidan-al-Jimaa-al-Minzalah road project in Sa'ada governorate at a cost of SR 90 million. The second is the Majz-Omar-Razih road in Sa'ada governorate at a cost of SR 26.25 million and the third is for main road projects in various Yemeni areas.
Additionally, an agreement was signed to finance Saudi commodities and services to implement a number of electricity sector projects, for which SR 375 million was allocated. A fish wealth cooperation agreement also was signed, as well as a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in social affairs and minutes on exchanging documents of endorsement regarding the two countries' customs cooperation.
The agreements were signed by the Yemeni and Saudi Ministers of Interior, Foreign Affairs, Planning and International Cooperation, Finance and Fish Wealth.
The council's session was different this year, as the Saudi delegation was headed by Saudi crown prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz, who has been in charge of Yemen's dossier. With the crown prince's visit and signing several important agreements, Yemeni-Saudi relations initiate a significant and advanced stage, moving from a neighborly relationship to partnership.
It now can be said that the two nations' relationship is the best, after passing through various stages that weren't without difficulties and hindrances. The course of Yemeni-Saudi relations is connected with several factors that prominently constituted the nature and quality of those relations, such as historical, economic and political factors.
There are also factors related to determinants of the two sides' geo-politics and their existence in one regional geographic area. Additionally, there are factors related to political and international relations. Such factors have reflected considerable development in progress of various relations between the two countries.
Yemen and Saudi Arabia have managed to solve many of their matters through direct dialogue and over years of dialogue, Saudi investment volume in Yemen has increased. By financing many projects, Saudi Arabia now is considered Yemen's most important development partner.
In recent years, the two countries' viewpoints have come very close; therefore, council sessions have become regular after a 10-year halt. That convergence has yielded important results embodied by Saudi support for Yemen regarding Yemen's accession to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Saudi Arabia's role in this regard is more evident in qualifying Yemen economically.
Yemeni-Saudi cooperation in fighting terror also has reached a great extent, as well as coordination in security and intelligence. Since the two nations' April 2001 signing of a security agreement, they have demonstrated clear commitment to implementing the agreement by exchanging wanted individuals, intelligence information and carrying out coordination, especially at border areas.
Signing such agreements comes ahead of convening the Yemen donors conference in London, to be attended by Saudi Arabia, which supports its organization. The donors conference comes within the context of international effort displaying a keenness to keep Yemen from slipping into crises that may affect regional stability.
U.S. and British diplomatic sources disclosed that the two countries advised Saudi Arabia and GCC states to assist Yemen and protect it against seemingly imminent failure, especially with estimations confirming that Western nations' assistance did not achieve mentionable development success due to incorrect exploitation. Britain earlier said it will triple its support for Yemen in the next year becoming the second highest European donor after Germany.
The donors conference will be the first time to meet Saudi Arabia in an international meeting to discuss political and economic reforms in Yemen. Donors are of the view that international support for Yemen is not a solution and that its neighbors should enter into partnership with it to secure success in any reformation program. Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, king of Saudi Arabia, stressed this in statements last month, mentioning that his country would support Yemen in facing its challenges.
The coming days will reveal if Yemeni officials could use such circumstances and international support to upgrade Yemen's development process, find establishments capable of keeping pace with international changes and create openness and economic prosperity.
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