Yemeni-Jordanian oil cooperation [Archives:2005/867/Business & Economy]
By Fahmia Al-Futaih
For the Yemen Times
A Jordanian delegation headed by Dr. Maher. Hijazi, Director General of Natural Resources Authority, that arrived in Sana'a 29 July, held on Saturday 30 July discussions with Yemeni counterpart delegation chaired by Eng. Abdualmalik Alama, Deputy minister of Oil and Minerals.
The two discussed Yemen and Jordon cooperation in oil, gas and minerals and other relevant issues and areas.
Eng. Alama clarified that the two delegations sought opportunities to develop cooperation that was stated in the fourth round of meetings held in Amman in February 2003 and put headlines for the fifth round. “Actually we discussed several issues and reviewed the articles that had been signed in the fourth round of meetings in Amman in 2003. We have found that 70-%80 of the articles have been activated and implemented in the field of exchanging information and visits, joint training and introducing some services like storing crude oil for the Jordanian side during the 2nd Gulf War. We, as well, discussed activities of the technical committees in both countries that had been carried out throughout the last period. Today we review the program of current round which includes various issues, one of which the Jordanian delegation visit to departments of the Yemeni ministry of oil and minerals as well as some field visits. It is scheduled that we would put our final signatures on this round of meetings on Tuesday 2 August, guidelines of programs of the meetings as well as activates the previously signed agreement between the two countries in the field of oil, gas, minerals activities through either the governments or the national companies.”
Jordanian companies will come and invest in Yemen and in the same time, we are going to encourage Yemeni companies to find similar opportunities in Jordon. We would also encourage the national companies in both countries to work as investors.” Mr Alama added.
The Yemeni officials also mentioned that Yemen already had some Yemeni engineers and chemists working and receiving training courses in Jordon and there are some Jordanians invited to come to Yemen.
Mr. Alama also revealed that the ministry has finalized evaluation of the international tender for the seven sections namely 7,34,37,39,55,74,75 ” we have announced the successful companies and we welcomed the participation of unlucky companies that may have a chance in next international tender in the mid-term of the next year.”
Concerning gas crisis, Mr. Alama commented, “Regarding to the gas, the ministry is carrying out a study about the gas reserves that have been discovered lately and it is about to have international certificate for the new-stored gas to make sure that the gas is available for meeting needs of the market. We want assure the public as well as investors that there are numbers of discovered gas fields and Yemen is capable to provide gas for locals and for exportation.”
On his part, Dr. Maher. Hijazi commented ” This is the fifth Yemeni-Jordanian meeting for oil and gas and mineral resources and we have discussed the bilateral cooperation between our two countries. We have a plan for the coming two years, a mechanism for promoting the cooperation in these years including training, investment in private sector in joint companies, oil companies and exploration. We are proud to meet out counterparts in Yemen and definitely we have a lot of cooperation in this field, a lot of expertise in both countries have visited each other, trained each other. We hope to open new scopes for cooperation regarding mineral resources, oil explorations. In fact there is cooperation protocol between Yemen and Jordon and this protocol in the field of oil and minerals, training, discoveries and investing oil and minerals. We today evaluate the achievements that took place since the last round and we will try activating this protocol in a way to serve the two countries.”
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