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Yemen: EU Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner visits and announces minimum €60m assistance during 2007-2010

Sumario: Yemen: EU Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner visits and announces minimum €60m assistance during 2007-2010 (4 May 2007: Brussels)

FR

On 6 and 7 May 2007, European Commissioner for External Relations and Neighbourhood Policy, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, will pay an official visit to the Republic of Yemen, where she will meet with President Ali Abdullah Saleh, Prime Minister Ali Mohammed Mujawer, Minister for Foreign Affairs Abu Bakr al-Qirbi, and Minister of Planning Abdulkarim al-Arhabi. She will also have the opportunity to hold discussions with civil society and political parties, and address students at Sana'a University. While in Sana'a, Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner will formalise with the Yemeni authorities the 2007-2010 assistance strategy that the Commission has designed for the country, which is accompanied by a €60 million aid package. This strategy will focus on good governance, private sector development and human capital development. With this assistance, the Commission will contribute to improve governance, to alleviate poverty and help facilitate Yemen's integration into the world economy. Further resources could be drawn from specific instrument addressing thematic issues such as food security.

External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner commented before her visit: "We are eager to build a stronger partnership with the Republic of Yemen. Yemen is an important partner for Europe. There is considerable mutual interest in greater co-operation between us. With my visit, I want to accelerate the pace of our relations."

Yemen is one of the poorest countries in its region. The Government is committed to an ambitious reform agenda to improve governance and attract investment. Good progress has been made but implementation and enforcement of the reform agenda remains the key challenge for Yemen. Yemen's future depends on the government's ability to build trust in public institutions and in its political and economic system. That means predictability, security and stability which will favour a flourishing private sector essential to provide Yemen's rapidly-increasing population with job opportunities and income.

The Commission's 2007-2010 co-operation with Yemen will focus on these priorities and will assist the Yemeni Government through:

• support to the electoral framework and institutions (Parliament, Parliament groups, political parties);

• support for justice, the rule of law and human rights;

• fostering private sector development through sustainable development, in particular in the agriculture, food processing industry and fishery sectors; and

• support to local communities and population and reproduction health measures.
Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner said: "Yemen faces huge challenges: high population growth, declining oil and depleting water resources, and widespread poverty. The Government is committed to undertaking the necessary reforms to build trust and confidence in Yemen's political and economic system. We are ready to accompany Yemen in its path towards reforms. With our assistance we aim to support Yemen's efforts to promote a democratic culture, enhance good governance, to build a flourishing private sector and to improve the lives of its citizens."

Beyond the bilateral assistance, Yemen will also be able to benefit from other thematic programmes, such as Food Security, European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights, Migration and Asylum programme, Investing in People programme, Non-State Actors and Local Authorities in Development, and Environment Programme. Funds from these thematic lines to individual countries are in the process of being decided.

Yemen will also benefit from a renewed Erasmus Mundus programme to facilitate exchanges of students and build links between European and Yemenite Universities.

Background

EU-Yemen relations are based on the 1997 Co-operation Agreement, covering trade, development cooperation, culture, communication and information, environment and management of natural resources. The relations were strengthened in 2004 when the Commission opened a Delegation in Sana'a and a Political Dialogue between the EU and Yemen was established.

The EU deployed an Elections Observation Mission for the 20 September 2006 presidential and local elections that found the elections open and genuinely contested, but identified a series of democratic shortcomings related to the publication of results, the participation of women, and the use of state funds in the campaign.

Co-operation remains the main component of the EU's relations with Yemen. Since Yemen's unification in 1990 to 2006, the Commission allocated €200 million to the country, that have focused on food security, health, vocational training, local community development, development of the fisheries sector, trade promotion, public administration reform, electoral assistance, human rights and civil society.

For additional information, see:
http://ec.europa.eu/comm/external_relations/yemen/intro/index.htm

http://www.eueom-ye.org/

  • Ref: EC07-107EN
  • Fuente UE: Comisión Europea
  • Foro NU: 
  • Fecha: 4/5/2007


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