NEW CUSTOM OPERATIONAL MECHANISM UNDERWAY

SANA'A, Jan. 29 (Saba) - The Custom Authority is adopting a new mechanism for its operations at the republic's exits and entries, in an attempt to get rid of custom routine and improve the authority duties, head of the authority has said.

The authority will use modern technology at exits and entries and establish a research facility, Muhammad Mansour Zamam said, urging the private sector to help build mutual trust between it and the public sector.

The move is mainly aimed at protecting the people from counterfeit goods as well as improving the investment climate, he added.

For his part, head of the Investment Authority Salah al Attar stressed the importance of building closer relationship with the private sector as he outlined the new investment law.

The law guaranteed many facilities and exemptions for investors as the country struggles to boost national economy and attract more foreign capitals, he said.

Apart from the topic, the Commerce Chamber at the Yemeni Federation of Commerce and Industry Chambers has revealed a vision adopted by the private sector to contribute to the development of national landports.

It affirmed in a paper, presented to a recent workshop on quality of landports and their role in tourism boom and facilitating trade and transportation, the readiness of the private sector to contribute to developing landports in the light of the outcomes of the Yemeni-Saudi Businessmen Council's meeting through establishing a free economic region and investing in free economic regions.

According to the paper, the vision of the private sector's contribution calls for motivating businessmen to set up firms and freight agents, and finalizing construction of this sector facilities in line with efforts of less transportation costs.

The process, nonetheless, remains linked to the availability and clearness of land transport legislation; classification of freight agents; free good and container transport on roads; streamlined transport licenses; and clear definition of multifunctional transport in line with international accords with the aim to establish a transport sector able to provide competitive services, the paper noted.

The chamber also highlighted the roadblocks, despite improvements in the land transport sector, including difficulties to applying enforced legislation to be in line with modern transport systems, weak road grid and low quality of secondary transport services.

The chamber focused on al Wadia'h passage, saying Yemeni and Saudi measures should be unified at it and that it should operate around the clock.

It also urged to activate Arab passenger transport accords and establish free industry regions at the passage on Yemen-Saudi Arabia border.

FR