Trade minister opens IORBF session in Sana'a

SANA'A, June 21 (Saba)-Minister of Industry and Trade Yahya
al-Mutawakel opened on Sunday a session of the Indian Ocean Rim
Business Forum (IORBF) within the 9th conference of Indian Ocean
Rim-Association for Regional Cooperation (IOR-ARC), which was
started on Saturday in Sana'a.

In the opening of the session, al-Mutawakel delivered a speech in
which he wished the conference would come out with decisions that
enhance economic cooperation between the member states.

The minister reviewed the economic developments in Yemen during the
few years ago and achievements in sphere of the economic,
administrative and financial reforms.

He also pointed out to the efforts exerted to better the climate of
investment in the country and facilities offered to the investors in
accordance with the Yemeni laws.

In the session, the participants discussed topics related to the
sustainable development, commercial exchange, and means of
activating tourism between the member countries as well as issues
over businessmen in these countries such as means of opening trade
markets in the member countries.

In remarks to Saba, head of the international organizations
department at the foreign ministry Abdulellah Hajar said that the
forum suggested several proposals which would be discussed in
meeting of the senior employees of the association then in a
ministerial meeting which will be held on 25th June.

He added that Yemen would head over the ministerial meeting.

The Indian Ocean Rim-Association for Regional Cooperation (IOR-ARC),
initially known as the Indian Ocean Rim Initiative, is an
international organization with 18 member states. It was first
established in Mauritius on March 1995 and formally launched on 6-7
March 1997.

The Association disseminates information on trade and investment
regimes, with a view to helping the region's business community
better understand the impediments to trade and investment within the
region. These information exchanges have been intended to serve as a
base to expand intra-regional trade.

Member states include Australia, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Iran,
Kenya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mozambique, Oman, Singapore,
South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, the United Arab
Emirates, and Yemen.