Despite hardships, Yemen exerts efforts to build economy

By: Mahmoud Assamiee
ADEN,
Nov. 16 (Saba)- In efforts it exerts to revive its economy, Yemen held big
investment
conference in the port city of Aden last week.
Entitled Aden Investment and Economic Conference- Aden, Yemen's Gate to the World,
the conference aimed at promoting investment investments in Aden governorate. The
conference
presented in two-day 11 work session investment opportunities across the governorate
in fields industries, tourism, fisheries, free zones and infrastructure.
The conference aimed also at defining the greatest challenges facing investments in
Aden, the free zone and the port as well as identifying a strategic vision to the
zone.
Prime Minister Ali Mujawar re-affirmed government's readiness to provide all
facilitations to investors across the Republic of Yemen.
He renewed his government's intention to enhance partnership wit the private sector
to improve infrastructure, mainly electricity and water to attract investments.
"Many laws and measures have been issued to encourage investors and create good
investment environment. This will make Aden witness a program full of investments
in the
light of the conference's outcomes," said Mujawar.
He highlighted great improvements Aden has witnessed during the past two decades in
big service projects, roads and infrastructure as promising city enjoying
geographical
and natural characters, besides the city's trade history and qualified laborers.
"Aden has always been a rich historical city, an important international port and a
free zone," said Sheikh Mohammad Ba-Mashmous, the Chairman of Aden Chamber of
Commerce
and Industry.
" Yemen depends on Aden and the free zones to revive national economy. Aden Chamber
of Commerce and Industry and the governor demanded to hold this economic and
investment
conference because investment has become the main basis for development."
Improvements in Aden Port Aden Port is being improved to provide basic services to
ships coming
to the country and to include as many containers as possible.
Chairman of Aden and Dubai Development Ports Company Abdullah Buqshan said his
company is achieving progress in Aden Port despite difficulties and obstacles it
faces like
global financial crises, piracy and old equipments they inherited from the previous
operator.
He said the company has expanded the area of containers to include 940,000
containers instead of 540,000 and set up the automatic machine system to operate
the port (Aden
port). This system will update the performance of the port and will organize the
process of the coming and going out containers.
Dubai a successful example Aden to imitate One of the amazing sessions of the
conference contained a review on the process of improving Dubai Port as an
example Aden has
to follow.
Manager of Dubai Ports Mohammad al-Mua'alem presented a review of Dubai city and
how it has changed from small village of 60,000 people depending on fishing into a
modern
city of 2 million people.
The progress has started in 1977 by conducting environment study.
The main reasons behind the success of Dubai, said Al-Mua'alem, were the strategic
location, political stability, investment, future vision, planning, unique
performance
and continuous training.
But he said the main reason is the strong will of the President of the United Arab
Emirates who does never believe in any thing called impossible. This leader always
thinks
how to improve his country and he argues his people to believe there is nothing
called impossible.
He said UAE has four ports with Dubai as the first port in the world to use new
system for containers.
Efforts to improve Aden Free Zone In the fourth session of the conference which
was chaired by Minister of Civil Services and Insurances Yahya al-Shuaibi,
participants
discussed success in Aden Port and Aden Free Zone.
Chairman of the Board of Gulf of Aden Port Corporation Mohammad bin Aifan reviewed
the geographic nature of the port and the nearby international maritime routs as
well
as the port conditions during the twenty century and current situation.
Bin Aifan affirmed improvement in the port and future projects concerning expanding
ports and deepening anchors to be able receive giant ships.
Piracy a challenge facing investments in Aden Piracy was discussed in the fifth
session of the conference as great concern as a challenge to investments in Aden.
Vice dean of Aden University's College of Law Abdul-Whab Shamsan presented a review
on piracy in the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean. He made it clear that piracy is
one
of big problems concerns all countries in the world because it hinders trade
activities in important maritime trade route.
He talked about improvement in piracy and that pirates have now modern means. He
said this needs international concern to fight piracy and issue a number of
decisions regarding
this purpose.
Meanwhile General Director of Yemeni Coast Guards Authority (YCGA) in the Gulf of
Aden Sector Lutf Al-Barati talked about measures taken by the authority to fight
piracy
despite their humble capabilities.
But he said there is coordination between YCGA, the International Center for
Combating Piracy and the Regional Center for Combating Piracy. He said Yemeni coast
guards forces
conducts patrols in eastern and western parts of Aden port.
Executive Director of Yemeni Oil Company Omer al-Arhabi talked about obstacles
facing investments, piracy among them, and means of creating political stability
to enhance
the security in the region.
He talked about a ground pipeline project to fuel to avoid damages resulted by
piracy. He said this project will provide 200,000 barrel of fuel to supply tankers
and that
the project will secure the process of fuel supply regularly.
Secured investment opportunities Dr. Abdul-Galil Al-Shuaibi, the Chairman of
Aden Free Zone (AFZ) said the zone has introduced a number of projects, some of
these projects
are related to saves industries and other industries.
The AFZ provides incentives to investors represented in tax exemptions, bringing
laborers they want, 100 percent ownership of the land and free customs.
Concerning the basic services such as electricity, Al-Shuaibi said we are solving
this issue ourselves without returning to government's initiatives, we have
encouraged
private sector to set up electricity plant to produce nearly 60 megawatt.
Regarding interests of investing in Aden Free Zone, Al-Shuaibi said the zone has
received many offers from businessmen to invest in Aden in fields of industry.
Abdul-Karim Sha'ef, the Secretary General of Aden Local Council said all
investment opportunities presented in the conference are free from land problems.
Encouraging recommendations The recommendations focused on two points, law and
infrastructure.
The participants stressed on imposing the state's prestige, activating laws and
treaties, committing to Aden's general design, solving land problems, working on
improving
banking system and establishing a stock markets.
The participants affirmed activating the role of trade courts and implementing
contracts by law enforcement. They also affirmed establishing courts for real
estates and
encouraging insurances companies.
The recommendations affirmed importance of providing the energy needed to
investment projects, working on preparing the industrial zones, allocating lands
to investment
and providing free lands to giant projects, in addition to giving a space to the
private sector to play its positive role to carry out projects.