YEMEN, WB REVIEW CURRENT COOPERATION ASPECTS

SANA'A,Jan.18 (Saba)- Deputy Prime Minister of Economic Affairs and Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Abdul-Karim al-Arhabi met here on Monday with the World Bank's mission headed by Jory Floria.

In the meeting, the two sides reviewed the current cooperation aspects between Yemen and the bank, especially with regard to supporting the government policies aiming at reducing the cultivation of Qat in Yemen which deplete 40 per cent of the water resources.

The two sides also discussed the WB's support to the integral awareness program to be implemented by the government in the coming period aiming to introduce the risks and threats arising from Qat's cultivation and its impact on the scarce water resources in Yemen.

In the meeting, al-Arhabi affirmed the government's trend to focus on expanding and enhancing the awareness channels on the risks of Qat cultivation on the water map in the country.

He noted to the need to strengthen the current cooperation between Yemen and donors, topped by the WB to achieve this goal.

BA