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103969
Mon, 02/01/2010 - 22:06
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Yemen's big problem is its large population and limited resources, Senior Yemen official
Yemen's big problem is its large population and limited resources, Senior Yemen official
LONDON, Feb. 01 (Saba)- Yemen's development needs are very large and its population increases at a high rate, it is one of the highest in the world, said Prime Minister Ali Mohammed Mujawar.
"Yemen's big problem is that its population is large and its resources are limited. Its development needs are very large and its population increases at a high rate'', Mujawar confirmed.
In an interview with the Dubai-based al-Arabiya Television during his visit to the British capital London, the Yemeni Prime Minister said that Yemen's delegation to the London Meeting on Yemen held on 27 January had explained the problems from which Yemen is suffering, including its large population its limited resources.
"Yemen's problems are increasing. One of the most important problems of Yemen is the increase in the rate of poverty and unemployment as a result of the large increase in population and absence of infrastructure like roads and electricity. Only 42 per cent of the population has electricity and only 26 per cent of the population has piped water. Therefore, this is an environment of poverty and unemployment that is conducive to extremism and terrorism. We explained this to our partners in development. We told them to keep in mind the challenges facing Yemen and to give Yemen top priority in aid because Yemeni resources are insufficient to fulfil the country's needs" he added.
Asked if he also spoke about corruption in Yemen, he said that it was spoke about, ''this is a large part of our commitments. We made a commitment to ourselves before others to reform the big flaws that exist. We have embarked on the implementation of an economic and administrative reform programme since 1995 and we have made good progress. They talk about corruption in Yemen, but corruption exists everywhere. Corruption was and continues to be present in Yemen, but we have managed to contain it with a number of laws and institutions. We have made steps in this regard and we have a strong will to combat corruption and dry its sources."
"We came here once again to stress to them that extremism and terrorism are the results of real problems from which Yemen is suffering. This is our conviction and we want the donor states to reach the conviction that problems in Yemen should be solved and that Yemen should be supported in the various domains."
Asked if $5 billion in aid to Yemen is sufficient, he said: "We need a Marshall plan similar to the one that followed the war. We need real attention by the donors. Yemen has poor resources and a large population. Yemen needs a clear plan and large aid to address the current economic situation." Asked who he thinks will extend such large aid to Yemen, he says: "We certainly do not want this aid in one lump sum. We want the community of donors to pledge regular aid in accordance with a very large plan that amounts to $40 billion, for example. We will be ready to reaffirm out commitment to carry out the reforms pertaining to the Yemeni Government."
Asked why the international community should extend aid if Yemen is not united and if there is a tribal society and weak central government there, he affirmed that his country is important due to its geographic location and old history and stability in Yemen is in the interest of the international community as well as a united and stable Yemen will be a safety valve for the international community.
Asked if Yemen has become a safe haven for al-Qaeda, Mujawar rejected this description, saying "we reject media exaggeration and reject the description that Yemen has become a safe haven for terrorism. This, however, does not mean al-Qaeda is not present in the country. It is certainly there but hidden like rats in remote areas and in remote governorates. We do not want this media exaggeration. They say Yemen has become a safe haven for terrorism and they talk about the Detroit-bound plane as if the Nigerian student came from Yemen carrying the bomb to that plane. Do you know that this student came to study language for one year? He came after studying for four years in Britain. It was reported that he joined al-Qaeda while in Britain".
When told that there are signs of the return of the "mujahidin and terrorists" to Yemen from Iraq and Afghanistan, and asked if the Yemeni forces are able to deal with the "threat posed by the return and presence of these in Yemen," the Yemeni official said that his government is fully committed to dealing with al-Qaeda in an unprecedented manner.
"The recent strikes at al-Qaeda during the last three months were decisive. They were carried out by the Yemeni Air Force and the Yemeni terror-combat forces", said Mujawar.
"There was assistance because we are committed and we have partnership with the United States and the international community in combating terrorism, but the United States and others provide only information, intelligence, and logistic support." he confirmed.
Asked about reports that foreign intervention in Yemen is imminent, he said: "The Yemeni people will absolutely not accept such a thing. We will absolutely not accept this and this issue is not proposed at all".
Turning to war on al-Houthi rebels in northern Yemen, the Yemeni Prime Minister said: "Al-Houthis in the north have rebelled against the government. Unfortunately, many regimes want to create a model that is similar to some other models and they want to have an entity".
"The Houthis claim that rule in Yemen should go to their dynasty. Therefore, they certainly want separation. They want to establish an entity and rule. We in the Yemeni Government consider what is taking place a rebellion against the government and violation of the Yemeni constitution. If a district in any country rebels against the government, how will this rebellion be dealt with? It will confront them with weapons. Therefore, this rebellion against the government should be quelled."
"Confrontations are continuing. As I told you these are rebels engaged in guerrilla war against the Yemeni Army. When a regular army confronts gangs, defeating them will take time. They benefit from the rugged terrain of the Saada governorate and the difficult roads leading to it. But I assure you that large progress has been made on the battlefront with the Houthis and we will bring you the glad tidings of destroying them in the near future".
The Yemeni official accused Iran and some Shiite seminaries in some Arab countries of supporting the Houthi rebels with funds.
"Therefore, when they receive funds from Iran - and I say this loudly - or from some Shiite seminaries that revolve in the orbit of Iran, they go and purchase weapons", He added.
Asked if there is evidence of foreign intervention in southern Yemen, Mujawar said that the situation in southern Yemen is different, adding "With regard to what is happening in southern Yemen, there are calls for separation to return Yemen to how it was before 22 May 1990. This language is not new; it began in 1994 when Ali Salim al-Bid announced the separation of the south from the north as if the south was a feudal estate belonging to him. The Yemeni people at that time defended their unity like heroes and they will continue to defend their unity. What you see are separatist calls that exist in all countries".
On whether people respond positively to these calls, he denies this, pointing out these persons are the ones who lost their interests and who ruled the south at a certain time.
"The Yemeni people in the southern governorates were in the forefront of those who defended the country when unity was in danger in 1994".
Asked about the way he thinks the internal Yemeni problems can be addressed and if political reform and dialogue will be beneficial, he said President Ali Abdullah Saleh called for a comprehensive dialogue by all political parties on condition that they do so under the tent of constitution, unity, and republic.
"The one who does not believe in the republic or in unity and the one who calls for separation cannot participate in this dialogue. This dialogue is for all people involved in political work who meet under the banner of constitution, republic, and unity. This will take place early next month, God willing. There will be many ideas. A number of issues will be presented during this dialogue. The most important one will be amending the constitution to say what political system we want and how we are going to run our affairs. Will it be through a strong central government or distribution of powers among local governments? A host of reforms will be presented for discussion during this dialogue, in which the political parties will participate. The results of this dialogue will hopefully be positive and serve the development of the political process in the country", the Yemeni official explained.
LONDON, Feb. 01 (Saba)- Yemen's development needs are very large and its population increases at a high rate, it is one of the highest in the world, said Prime Minister Ali Mohammed Mujawar.
"Yemen's big problem is that its population is large and its resources are limited. Its development needs are very large and its population increases at a high rate'', Mujawar confirmed.
In an interview with the Dubai-based al-Arabiya Television during his visit to the British capital London, the Yemeni Prime Minister said that Yemen's delegation to the London Meeting on Yemen held on 27 January had explained the problems from which Yemen is suffering, including its large population its limited resources.
"Yemen's problems are increasing. One of the most important problems of Yemen is the increase in the rate of poverty and unemployment as a result of the large increase in population and absence of infrastructure like roads and electricity. Only 42 per cent of the population has electricity and only 26 per cent of the population has piped water. Therefore, this is an environment of poverty and unemployment that is conducive to extremism and terrorism. We explained this to our partners in development. We told them to keep in mind the challenges facing Yemen and to give Yemen top priority in aid because Yemeni resources are insufficient to fulfil the country's needs" he added.
Asked if he also spoke about corruption in Yemen, he said that it was spoke about, ''this is a large part of our commitments. We made a commitment to ourselves before others to reform the big flaws that exist. We have embarked on the implementation of an economic and administrative reform programme since 1995 and we have made good progress. They talk about corruption in Yemen, but corruption exists everywhere. Corruption was and continues to be present in Yemen, but we have managed to contain it with a number of laws and institutions. We have made steps in this regard and we have a strong will to combat corruption and dry its sources."
"We came here once again to stress to them that extremism and terrorism are the results of real problems from which Yemen is suffering. This is our conviction and we want the donor states to reach the conviction that problems in Yemen should be solved and that Yemen should be supported in the various domains."
Asked if $5 billion in aid to Yemen is sufficient, he said: "We need a Marshall plan similar to the one that followed the war. We need real attention by the donors. Yemen has poor resources and a large population. Yemen needs a clear plan and large aid to address the current economic situation." Asked who he thinks will extend such large aid to Yemen, he says: "We certainly do not want this aid in one lump sum. We want the community of donors to pledge regular aid in accordance with a very large plan that amounts to $40 billion, for example. We will be ready to reaffirm out commitment to carry out the reforms pertaining to the Yemeni Government."
Asked why the international community should extend aid if Yemen is not united and if there is a tribal society and weak central government there, he affirmed that his country is important due to its geographic location and old history and stability in Yemen is in the interest of the international community as well as a united and stable Yemen will be a safety valve for the international community.
Asked if Yemen has become a safe haven for al-Qaeda, Mujawar rejected this description, saying "we reject media exaggeration and reject the description that Yemen has become a safe haven for terrorism. This, however, does not mean al-Qaeda is not present in the country. It is certainly there but hidden like rats in remote areas and in remote governorates. We do not want this media exaggeration. They say Yemen has become a safe haven for terrorism and they talk about the Detroit-bound plane as if the Nigerian student came from Yemen carrying the bomb to that plane. Do you know that this student came to study language for one year? He came after studying for four years in Britain. It was reported that he joined al-Qaeda while in Britain".
When told that there are signs of the return of the "mujahidin and terrorists" to Yemen from Iraq and Afghanistan, and asked if the Yemeni forces are able to deal with the "threat posed by the return and presence of these in Yemen," the Yemeni official said that his government is fully committed to dealing with al-Qaeda in an unprecedented manner.
"The recent strikes at al-Qaeda during the last three months were decisive. They were carried out by the Yemeni Air Force and the Yemeni terror-combat forces", said Mujawar.
"There was assistance because we are committed and we have partnership with the United States and the international community in combating terrorism, but the United States and others provide only information, intelligence, and logistic support." he confirmed.
Asked about reports that foreign intervention in Yemen is imminent, he said: "The Yemeni people will absolutely not accept such a thing. We will absolutely not accept this and this issue is not proposed at all".
Turning to war on al-Houthi rebels in northern Yemen, the Yemeni Prime Minister said: "Al-Houthis in the north have rebelled against the government. Unfortunately, many regimes want to create a model that is similar to some other models and they want to have an entity".
"The Houthis claim that rule in Yemen should go to their dynasty. Therefore, they certainly want separation. They want to establish an entity and rule. We in the Yemeni Government consider what is taking place a rebellion against the government and violation of the Yemeni constitution. If a district in any country rebels against the government, how will this rebellion be dealt with? It will confront them with weapons. Therefore, this rebellion against the government should be quelled."
"Confrontations are continuing. As I told you these are rebels engaged in guerrilla war against the Yemeni Army. When a regular army confronts gangs, defeating them will take time. They benefit from the rugged terrain of the Saada governorate and the difficult roads leading to it. But I assure you that large progress has been made on the battlefront with the Houthis and we will bring you the glad tidings of destroying them in the near future".
The Yemeni official accused Iran and some Shiite seminaries in some Arab countries of supporting the Houthi rebels with funds.
"Therefore, when they receive funds from Iran - and I say this loudly - or from some Shiite seminaries that revolve in the orbit of Iran, they go and purchase weapons", He added.
Asked if there is evidence of foreign intervention in southern Yemen, Mujawar said that the situation in southern Yemen is different, adding "With regard to what is happening in southern Yemen, there are calls for separation to return Yemen to how it was before 22 May 1990. This language is not new; it began in 1994 when Ali Salim al-Bid announced the separation of the south from the north as if the south was a feudal estate belonging to him. The Yemeni people at that time defended their unity like heroes and they will continue to defend their unity. What you see are separatist calls that exist in all countries".
On whether people respond positively to these calls, he denies this, pointing out these persons are the ones who lost their interests and who ruled the south at a certain time.
"The Yemeni people in the southern governorates were in the forefront of those who defended the country when unity was in danger in 1994".
Asked about the way he thinks the internal Yemeni problems can be addressed and if political reform and dialogue will be beneficial, he said President Ali Abdullah Saleh called for a comprehensive dialogue by all political parties on condition that they do so under the tent of constitution, unity, and republic.
"The one who does not believe in the republic or in unity and the one who calls for separation cannot participate in this dialogue. This dialogue is for all people involved in political work who meet under the banner of constitution, republic, and unity. This will take place early next month, God willing. There will be many ideas. A number of issues will be presented during this dialogue. The most important one will be amending the constitution to say what political system we want and how we are going to run our affairs. Will it be through a strong central government or distribution of powers among local governments? A host of reforms will be presented for discussion during this dialogue, in which the political parties will participate. The results of this dialogue will hopefully be positive and serve the development of the political process in the country", the Yemeni official explained.
