SATURDAY - JUNE 01, 2013 VOL. XVI - ISSUE 43

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Business

FRENCH AMBASSADOR CONCERNS ABOUT TERRORIST CONTROL IN SOUTH

BY ISCANDER AL-MAMARI

The French ambassador, Gellet expressed concerns over attempts by groups to control areas of Mukalla so as to repeat sufferings of internally displaced people (IDPs) just as it took place in Abyan province in 2011.

“I call on related parties to prevent such scenario because we do not want the Abyan tragedy to happen again,” Gellet stated.

The French ambassador, Gel-

GOVERNMENT COMPENSATION FOR TELECOM IS CORRUPTION, ANALYST

BY OBSERVER STAFF

There are attempts by terrorist groups to have power over areas in Mukalla city of Hadramout province, French ambassador to Sana’a Franck Gellet said in a press conference in Sana’a on Tuesday organized by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) in the inauguration of the Health Centre in Haradh for IDPs and host communities.

6

Interview

The political analyst and economist Professor, Saif al-Asaly considered the intention of the Reconciliation Government (RG) to offer two billion$ as compensation to the mobile phone companies, the worst corruption procedure which requires life imprisonment for the RG.

VOL. XVI - ISSUE 43

STEVIA WONDER AND THE FRUCTOSE BLUES Health

7

NEW OIL EXPLORATIONS IN MAREB

Instead of paying their taxes and fees arrears, which amounted to billions, sources revealed the inclination of the RG to compensate the mobile phone companies, for the alleged losses they encountered in the 20112012 events of the revolution CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

JMP THROWN INTO CONTROVERSY

BY MOHAMMED KALFOOD

FRENCH AMBASSADOR, FRANCK GELLET

let delivered his remarks in a press conference on the occasion of handing over a fully equipped medical center to Haradh IDPs, at a cost of over USD 200.000 (approximately YR 43 million) by the UNHCR and French government.

Differences between the largest factions of the Joint Meeting Parties (JMP) in Yemen, “Islah and Socialist”, have escalated in the past few days in a way that threatens the survival of such a political coalition, which was as originated from five parties in 2005.

NATIONWIDE SEARCH FOR KIDNAPPED SA COUPLE IN TAIZ

BY AKRAM AL-GAOLAHI

The Yemeni Interior Ministry directed security forces and various security departments nationwide to participate in the process of search and investigation for the car that carried out the

A member of the JMP Supreme Council said that “the dispute between these two parties’ leaders has never reached, to such a state of crisis like in the past two days.”

The source attributed the reason to the slanderous media campaign waged by an Islah

crime of kidnapping a couple whom are citizens of South Africa, on Tuesday in front of the al-Resalah hospital, al-HAWBAN area in the city of Taiz.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

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CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

ONGOING EXPLORATION WORKS AT BLOCK 18 IN MAREB PROVINCE, EAST YEMEN.

BY ISCANDER AL-MAMARI

The Safer Exploration & Production Operations Company in Sana’a announced on Wednesday the discovery of a gas field in the northern region of block 18 in Mareb province.

During a ceremony honoring a number of workers of the company

in Sana’a and attended by the Minister of Oil and Minerals, Ahmed Abdullah Dares, the Deputy Executive Director of the company Engineer, Saif Al-Sharif said Safer dug the well (M) on April 5, 2011 at a depth of more than seven thousand

CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

Saturday - June 01, 2013 Vol. XVI - Issue 43

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BY ISCANDER AL-MAMARI

Medics of Razi Hospital, civil society organizations representatives, reporters and local leaders in Abyan province expressed solidarity with International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) workers on Monday 27, ICRC media officer Jessica Bari, told the Yemen Observer.

The participants expressed solidarity through staging a sit-in with ICRC members who were abducted by gunmen some time ago.

“People empathize with ICRC’s workers because they are acquainted with ICRC’s activities which are neutral and impartial,” Bari stated.

“The public knows that we are a humanitarian, neutral and impartial organization working for the people’s benefit so when our workers are kidnapped by any group, the captors liberate them immediately without conditions once they recognize that the abducted are ICRC’s workers.

The participants denounced abducting humanitarian organizations representatives, emphasizing that these acts are unrelated to the norms and values and habits of the people of Abyan who respect humanitarian organizations representatives, particularly the ICRC. ICRC significantly provides the people with aid and humanitarian assistance, treat the wounded, offer technical equipment in the fields of electricity and water, and establishes free medical camps.

UNITED STATES SENATOR JOHN MCCAIN VISITS YEMEN MAY 29, 2013

SANAA --U.S. Armed Services Committee member Senator John McCain today expressed his support for Yemen’s National Dialogue process, unity, and military and security reforms during a three-day stop in Yemen as part of a Middle East trip. In addition to meeting with Yemen’s senior political and military leaders, the Senator toured Yemen’s largest mosque with prominent imams, visited Sana’a historic Old City, and met with representatives of Yemen’s National Dialogue and civil society organizations.

“Yemen’s transition is a story of hope and courage for other countries; the Yemeni people dared to dream of a better future, and had the courage to change it. Now Yemen is writing another chapter,” Senator McCain remarked. “We are confident that Yemen will continue to be an inspiration of peaceful democratic transition. We will continue to stand with Yemenis in their progress towards a stable, prosperous and democratic country.”

On Tuesday, the delegation met with Yemen’s President, Abdo Rabbo Mansour Hadi and Foreign Minister Abu-Bakr al-Qirbi,

as well as members of the National Security Bureau, Interior Ministry, and Political Security Organization. His discussions focused on Yemen’s National Dialogue process, U.S. support for Yemen’s political transition, and other issues of mutual concern.

Senator McCain also discussed ongoing military and security reforms with several of Yemen’s military leadership - including the country’s Chief of Staff and Commanders of the Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, and Special Operations Command.

The Senator also toured Yemen’s largest Muslim place of worship – the al-Saleh Mosque – with a group of prominent local imams and then visited Sana’a’s Old City, a UNESCO World Heritage site, where he met with representatives from the National Dialogue Conference. During the meeting, Senator McCain expressed his support for the National Dialogue process and reaffirmed continuing support for Yemen’s political transition and unity. Later, the Senator dined with a group of civil society representatives that included NGOs leaders, women’s rights activists, and political analysts.

The Senator stopped in Yemen during

a multi-country Middle East trip that has thus far has included stops in Jordan and Turkey. The Senator was accompanied by his national security advisor, Christian Brose, and foreign policy advisor Margaret Goodlander.

YEMENI UNIFICATION IS A DREAM OF GENERATIONS, HAIDRA Captain Mohsen Haidara, vice chairman of Yemen Airways, said Yemeni unification is a dream of generations and it represents a sanctity for the Yemeni people Haidara further stated that the Yemenis rely on the comprehensive national dialogue conference in founding of the modern civil state and solve all the problems related to the crucial issues of the nation, including human rights issues and demands of all segments of society, especially those relating to the unity of Yemen.

He noted that problems concerning the unity and grievances that occurred during the recent years should be solved under the roof of united Yemen§.

NEARLY 300 AFRICAN REFUGEES GAIN ACCESS TO YEMENI COASTS DAILY, UNHCR REPRESENTATIVE IN YEMEN

BY ISCANDER AL-MAMARI

There are more than 300 African refugees entering the coasts of Yemen every day, United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) representative in Yemen, Naveed Hussain, stated in a press conference on the occasion of handing over a fully equipped medical center to Haradh Internally displaced people (IDPs) by UNHCR and the French government.

The medical center costs over USD 200.000 (approximately YR 43 million).

Hussain added that 95% of Abyan IDPs have returned to their villages after their situations were settled.

“This is not a mere Yemeni issue, but regional and international,” the UNHCR representative said. “There will be insecurity in case IDPs problems are not addressed,” Hussain said.

For his part, the Deputy Minister of Health, Dr. Ghazi Ahmed Ismail stressed his ministry commitment to provide IDPs with help and assistance in collaboration with the World Health Organization and foreign governments, including the Government of France. “We are looking for

NGOs to run the field hospital established by the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) specially after Spain-based organization Doctors Without Borders (MSF) stopped working.

UNHCR handed over a new Health Centre in the IDP camp al-MazraqI in Haradh district, Hajjah governorates, to the Ministry of Health. On 21 May 2013, the UNHCR Deputy Representative in Yemen, Fathiaa

YORFDD WARNS OF JUDICIARY POLITICIZATION The Yemen Organization for Rights, Freedom, Democracy and Defense, (YORFDD) pursues the continuation of targeting civil activists and hunts them under apostasy subterfuges, where as Jamal al-Junaid, a employee at the Justice Ministry is still being held at the reserve prison, on grounds of malicious apostasy and disbelief cases.

Lawyer Suleiman al-Ahdal is also being hunted by armed militants belonging to an influential group whom al-Ahdal filed a corruption case against. He was detained by an armed group, who say they want to carry out an apostasy judgment against him in front of the Attorney General’s office.

Instead of arresting them, confiscating the weapons and referring them to prosecution for investigation, the Attorney General, referred all to the police station.

The YORFDD addressed the General Attorney in the case, demanding him to implement the law and prevent exploitation of religion and judiciary for protecting the interests of the corrupted.

The organization renewed warnings of exploiting religion, judiciary and using apostasy for suppressing people who

raise their voices and struggle in peaceful ways, especially by asking the civil rights societies in several Yemeni provinces, including Sana’a, Aden, Hodeida and Taiz to unite with the victims of these violations.

The organization demanded immediate movement against these serious issues especially in light of the silence, and change in the standards of admission in the High Judiciary Institute which allows these judges to graduate. It demanded immediate actions against allowing the extremist groups to join the institute, even if it is violating the admission criteria of judiciary.

Abdalla and the Deputy Minister of Health, Dr. Ghazi Ahmed Ismail inaugurated the fully equipped medical facility, funded by the French Government. The centre that cost over USD 200.000 (approximately YR 43 million), will serve more than 60.000 people (IDPs) and host community in health, as well as contribute to reducing the material and child mortality rates and improving the health status of the population.

The Centre will serve as the only public primary healthcare facility in the area; and will be operated by the Ministry of Health in cooperation with World Health Organization (WHO). The facility also represents an example of the positive and continued collaboration between the Government of Yemen and the international community, as UNHCR, through the government of France, undertook the facility’s construction and equipping, while the Government will undertake the running of the Health Centre in cooperation with WHO. Currently, Hajjah Governorate hosts over 78.665 IDPs, including those from Sa’ada Governorate and those displaced within Hajjah Governorate as well. UNHCR opened its field office in Haradh in December 2009 in response to the internal displacement.

“UNHCR will remain committed to assisting and supporting the Government of Yemen in responding to IDPs whose displacement has been prolonged, said UNHCR Deputy Representative Fathiaa Abdalla, “and we are calling on the international community to help Yemen to resolve the issue of displacement.”

STRAY DOGS ELIMINATED IN CAPITAL

BY ISCANDER AL-MAMARI

With the participation of 80 workers, the Capital Secretariat office launched a campaign to clean the Yemeni capital of stray dogs at a cost of YR 20 million, state-run news agency Saba stated.

The Capital Secretariat Undersecretary for environment sector, Essam Jumaan told Saba that the campaign is aimed at facing the risk of rabid dogs that have been increasing in the recent period, which will result in the spread of stray dogs and cause the spread of rabies accordingly.

He added that rabies is a fatal disease which is transmitted by dogs to humans by infected dog bites; in addition, it is a

cause of fear among the population, especially children.

“The campaign will continue until the eliminating of stray dogs in all districts and zones is completed, particularly in the capital Sana’a outskirts.” Jumaan stated.

He noted that the Capital Secretariat allocated YR 20 million so as to provide the campaign, 80 workers, with necessary protective, technical and medical equipment.

Jumaan called on all citizens to cooperate with the campaign through reporting and determining places where stray dogs are present so as to get rid of them in an environmentally sound manner that is not detrimental to the public’s health.

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Saturday - June 01, 2013 Vol. XVI - Issue 43

LOCAL NEWS KOREAN AMBASSADOR BIDS YEMEN FAREWELL Park Kyu-Ock, the Korean Ambassador to Yemen, has winded up his term after spending three years in this diplomatic position.

On this occasion, a farewell celebration took place last Monday, May 27 in presence of Industry Minister, other diplomatic figures, dignitaries and media representatives.

“First, I would like to thank all the guests to this farewell party on the occasion of ending my service as Ambassador of Republic of Korea to Yemen,” said Mr. Kyu-Ock as he started his inaugural speech.

“I remember during the past three years of my terms how our embassy tried to establish a strong bilateral cooperation between both countries,” he said.

“I honestly believe that this year will be a promising time for boost-

INTERIOR MINISTRY TO FIGHT OFF MILITARY ASSASSINATIONS IN HADRAMOUT

BY HANAN MANA’

Hadramout Province Security Commander, Fahmi Haj Mahrous, said the Interior Ministry responded to his demand for 1000 pieces of weapons and 500 personal pistols, by issuing only 4 machine guns and 5 personal pistols, to be registered under trusteeship of Fahmi Mahrous, Commander of Hadramout security.

ing bilateral cooperation of the both countries in terms of economy, trade and investment as well as cultural and academic exchange.”

“Korean government strongly

wishes that the ongoing National Dialogue will be successful; our country will continue supporting the political transition, development and stability in Yemen,” he added.

COURSES ON DRUG MARKETING, SMALL PROJECT MANAGEMENT IN ADEN

Mahrous stressed that the Sana’a and the Ministry of Interior’s apathetic dealing with their demands and needs raise questions, because what was approved was of no use in confronting the security chaos in regards to arming the security leaders who are

subjected to killing and assassinations, adding that the belittlement of Hadramout didn’t stop at that, but it amounted to reduction of Hadramout security budget to fifty percent, by cutting it from YR 6 million to YR 3 million. He ensured that there are deliberate intentions against Hadramout Province, not excepting the government , especially after publication of government website news of the fall of Ghail Ba Wazir Directorate in the hands of al-Qaeda.

Hadramout security commander demanded the formation of community police to confront the security disorder which the province is experiencing, expressing concern over the domination of the so

MEET TO IMPROVE ADEN PROJECT KICKS OFF

TWO SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR RAPE The West Taiz court, presided over by Judge Fouad Sarhan and in the presence of the prosecutor, Ammar al-Shamiri has issued death sentences to two defendants in the case of rape and murder of a little girl, Maram al-Sharabi in Taiz city.

The death sentence is stated for open execution in the Public Square for the first accused, Hisham Ali Ahmed Saleh al-Ebi, and for the second defendant, Nabil Abdullah Mohammed Al Harthy. The verdict also cited a one year jail sentence for the remaining two defendants, Bassam Abdullah Ahmad Al Harthy, and Saleh Ahmed Mohammed Saleh.

BY HESHAM SAMI AL-KIBSI

Two training courses on drug marketing and management of small projects, organized by the Yemeni Pharmacists Syndicate branch of Aden in collaboration with the Skills Development Fund in Aden province concluded on May 27 in Aden city.

The courses aimed at supplementing 106 employees from the syndicate with lore about pharmaceutical marketing services and the appropriate products that are consistent with international standards and commensurate with the needs of consumers. The course also aimed at providing trainees with knowhow of how to identify drug products classification, characteristics and quality.

Trainees received knowledge about project management and scientific methods used in the preparation of development and services projects as well as knowledge of how to enhance the skills and capabilities of the trainees in the socio-economic spheres.

At the conclusion of the cours-

called Ansar al-Sharia (Partisan of Sharia) in some parts of Hadramout, adding that they possess the best weapons, including RPGs, modern silencer guns, compared to the ones which the security leaders posses, in light of the 4 machine guns issued by the Interior Ministry to face this issue.

es, both President of the Pharmacists Syndicate Aden Branch, Dr. Mansour Abdullah Ghalib and director of the Social Fund for the Development of skills in Aden, Dr. Najeeb Mohammed pointed to the importance of the drug marketing course. They explained that the drug marketing course, which lasted for two months, was important in raising the awareness of the trainees and developing their abilities in the professional

PM BASINDWA OVERSEES ECDF Sana’a, Yemen - Prime Minister Mohamed Basindwa told UNDP’s Emergency Capacity Development Facility (ECDF), “I count on ECDF to strengthen government capacities and accelerate socio-economic reforms during the transition period.” His statement came while reviewing progress made by ECDF during its first year of operation in a meeting held this morning.

The urgency of making progress in this key area of government intervention and its importance for millions of Yemeni citizens was shared by the other participants in the meeting: UNDP Senior Country Director Gustavo Gonzalez, the Secretary General of the Council of Ministers Mr. Hasan Hubaishi, the Director of the Prime Minister’s Office Mr Salem Bin Talib, and the ECDF team of expert.

Mr. Gonzalez noted the innovative approach of this initiative stressing that ECDF was able to mobilize the support of multiple partners and quickly deploy critical expertise and technical support to strengthen the capacity of Government institutions to achieve key benchmarks stated in the Transitional Programme for Stabilization and Development and the Mutual Accountability Framework.

ECDF was launched in May 2012 as multi-donor platform funded by USAID, DFID, the US State Department of Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, Italy, the Government of Yemen and UNDP. ECDF provides support to key public sector institutions (i.e. President and Prime Minister Offices, Ministries of Planning, Finance, Industry and Trade, and Interior) to deliver on their mandate during the transition period and contribute to the implementation of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Implementation Mechanism and of the Government Transitional Program for Stabilization and Development (TPSD), 2012-2014.

and scientific areas and improve their level in the health sector.

They urged the trainees of the project management course, which lasted two weeks, to apply their outputs to practice. They pointed out that by next June, a number of courses in the fields of health projects, quality management, International Computer Driving License (ICDL) and business administration will be organized.

BY HESHAM SAMI AL-KIBSI

The “Meet to Improve Aden” project activities commenced on May 27 in Aden city. The program is implemented by the “Change your Life” organization in Aden with the participation of fifty participants from Aden province.

The project includes two-day dialogue and discussion sessions and workshops for the youth, political activists and civil society organizations (NGOs) to promote the culture of dialogue and to discuss the top-

ics of the Southern issue and the foundations of good governance.

Head of the “Change Your Life” organization in Aden, Shadia Jalal, explained to Saba news agency that the project which is implemented by the organization in the provinces of Aden, Lahj, Abyan, Hadhramawt and Shabwah targets the diverse spectrum of political, social and civil youth groups in order to strengthen their role in public life and involve their views in the National Dialogue Conference (NDC).

Judge Nabil al-Adeeb, director of oversight and investigation management in the Court of Appeal, said that the case in which the ruling was issued was according to the text of the law.

“This issue is one of the issues that have had an impact and activated public opinion towards it and sparked public and community outrage, and this provision returns the confidence and prestige to the law among the community,” said al-Adeeb.

Maram was raped and killed in Taiz province three months ago.

Her case met the interaction of public opinion and raised popular anger.

CONTINUATION FROM FRONT PAGE GOVERNMENT COMPENSATION FOR TELECOM IS CORRUPTION, ANALYST which brought about the downfall of the former President Ali Abdullah Saleh.

According to a government source, the Communication and Information Technology Minister Dr. Ahmed Obeid Bin Daghar, leader in the General People’s Congress (GPC), submitted at the recent Government meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Basundwah, two days ago, a proposal for forming a committee to enumerate the losses of the Yemeni mobile phone operating companies (Sabafone, MTN, Y Yemen and Yemen Mobile) during 2011-2012 for compensation.

Professor al-Asaly said the mobile phone companies obtained their licenses at cheap costs and were exempted from all taxes, with the exception of the sales tax, which is paid by the consumer, explaining that these companies became very rich. Al-Asaly said the government should have cancelled the contracts of the communication companies and the oil contracts and resettles them through new contracts.

Al-Asaly said the government should have compelled the communication companies to pay taxes and compensate the Yemeni people instead of compensating the companies, because the owners of these companies kept their licenses by bribing the former regime, wondering over what is new now which requires the compensation of these companies.

He also wondered over the non-compensation of the revolutionary wounded, the martyrs and orphans’ families and those who were harmed by 2011-2012 events, the owners of small shops and all who were subjected to major losses including closing hospitals which resulted in lack of services.

Al-Asaly also expressed surprise over

speaking about compensating companies of corruption, exploitation and plunder, reiterating that this was an indication that this government exceeded the corruption of all previous governments.

Al-Asaly said this government should be sentenced to life imprisonment in case of compensating communication companies because it is an entirely loathsome question, wondering how the companies that achieved profits of millions be compensated, considering it to be an unjustified matter even by the totalitarian, corrupt, capitalist regimes.

He considered the government’s orientation for compensating the communication companies to be treason and sabotage to national interests.

JMP THROWN INTO CONTROVERSY leader against the Socialist member, Transport Minister Wa’ed Bathib, accusing him of “corruption and partisan appointments.”

The source pointed to what Sana’a Security Director, Dr Omar Abdul Karim (a socialist member) was subjected to by the security personnel days after the security blockade around the house of Islah leader, Sheikh Ali Abed Rabbo al-Awadhi against the backdrop of killing of two young men (Aman and Khatib) took place in the mid of this month, He also pointed out that the Socialist Party considered such an attack as a reaction from the leadership of Islah Party.

Early last week, media of Islah party has resumed the defamatory campaign against the Transport Minister accusing him of corruption.

However, Socialist party has refuted all accusations against the Transport Minister in a long statement published on its mouthpiece website.

“We have reviewed what was published in the many news sites under the

title “exposing corruption of the Ministry of Transport during the term of Wa’ed Bathib”; such fallacies in a series of purpose to reach personal goals even at the expense of others, like ‘the end justifies the means’, read the Socialist party’s statement.

NEW OIL EXPLORATIONS IN MAREB feet, but security conditions prevented the test at that time, but this was resumed last May. For his part, the minister Dares called on the workers to exert enormous efforts away from conflicts, which do not serve the country.

Separately, President Hadi, when meeting with the OMV Oil Company Vice President for Middle Eastern Region, Erwin Kroll Sunday, said that Yemen counts on new oil explorations to accelerate the pace in alleviating challenges and problems facing Yemen whose causes are totally due to poverty and unemployment.

According to state-run Saba news agency, President Hadi reviewed with Kroll the activities of the OMV Company, which has been working in Yemen for over 10 years and produces 17,000 barrel per day.

Hadi hailed the company’s persistent activities to improve exploration and production, stressing that all the security difficulties facing the company would be overcome by more reinforcements of security and military forces, which are relocating now in accordance with the reorganization decrees recently issued.

He reviewed difficult and complex circumstances in which Yemen has sustained during the 2011 crisis and its economic and security repercussions that are still visible, accenting that all these challenges will be dissolved soon through the national dialogue that will

forge Yemen’s new future.

The OMV Company Vice President reviewed the company’s activities in Yemen and its efforts to increase production despite the challenges the company previously face.

Kroll said that there are new discoveries that will be announced soon and it is expected production would increase up to 30,000 barrels per day in the coming years after drilling new wells in some promising blocks.

It is worth mentioning that the oil company (OMV) has been working in Yemen for more than ten years and its daily output reaches up to seventeen thousand barrels per day.

NATIONWIDE SEARCH FOR KIDNAPPED SA COUPLE IN TAIZ The Interior also directed to do everything necessary to liberate the hostages and arrest the culprits involved in this operation which was carried out by eight unknown men who were on board a white color Hilux-TOYOTA car, with no number plates.

The ministry said in a statement, that this guidance from the leadership of the Ministry of the Interior came in implementation of the directives of President Abdo Rabbo Mansour Hadi, who shows personal interest in crime and directed the leadership of the ministry to quickly arrest the perpetrators and liberate the kidnapped foreigners.

The Police of Taiz seized five suspected believed to be involved in the kidnapping, including a motorcyclist in addition to a young man in his twenties, and transferred some of the hijackers to an unknown destination.

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Saturday - June 01, 2013 Vol. XVI - Issue 43

MARKETS

BUSINESS

▌ CURRENCY

Exchange Rate

TURKEY TO DEVELOP ELECTRICITY, BUY YEMENI LNG

Yemeni Riyal (YER)

ECONOMIC SNAPSHOTS YEMEN PARTAKES IN 3RD VIENNA FORUM FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY Yemen participated in the third Vienna Forum for Renewable Energy held during (May 28 – 30) in the Austrian capital Vienna.

▌ CURRENCY

12 Month Chart

US Dollar to Yemeni Riyal

BY FAISAL DAREM

▌ PRECIOUS METALS

Gold

Market Price (Sana’a) May 30,2013

P r per

i

c e gram

Grade

US$

YER

24K Gold

45.3 $

9728.23

22K Gold

41.52 $

8917.57

18K Gold

33.98 $

7296.27

14K Gold

26.43 $

5674.97

1408.05 $

302568.82

45268.81 $

9727587.7

24K Gold (1 ounce) 24K Gold (1 kilogram)

FIGURES $15 MILLION The United Kingdom, Sweden and Japan announced on Sunday a contribution of US $15,200,000 in support of the coming voter registration, referendum and electoral process in Yemen.

This support will be channeled through the Multi-donors Basket Fund, administered by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and will serve to bolster the implementation of the Support to the Elections during the Transitional Period (SETP) project in Yemen.

The contributions of United Kingdom [US $9,200,000], Sweden [US $4,000,000] and Japan [US $2,000,000] were confirmed by their representatives in Yemen at a press conference organized by the Supreme Commission for Elections and Referendum (SCER) and UNDP.

$82.6 MILLION The Global Partnership for Education’s Board of Directors has approved granting $82.6 million to support Yemen’s education, the Education Minister said Saturday.

Abdul-Razzaq al-Ashwal said that the grant will support the Education Ministry to carry out its plan in four years.

About $10 million of the total grant will help improve children’s schooling in emergency-affected areas.

The sum was granted to Yemen after signing last Wednesday an agreement between the Global Partnership for Education and UNICEF, whereby the latter will be supervisor on the grant, the Minister said.

Grant’s amount will be disbursed according to the plan to be prepared by the ministry, which will include three basic components: encourage school enrollment, improve the quality of education and improve the institutional system of education, alAshwal added.

$85 MILLION The Kuwaiti Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) on Tuesday granted Yemen $85 million to reconstruct affected areas due to 2011 events and developing Aden electricity network.

The grant’s agreements were signed by Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Mohammed al-Sa’adi and KFAED Director General Abdul Wahab al-Badr.

Under the first agreement, the Kuwaiti Fund grants $50 million to contribute to financing a project of reconstructing areas ruined during the 2011 events through carrying out and rehabilitating infrastructure and service projects and public facilities in governorates of Abyan, Aden, Lahj, Sana’a, the capital Sana’a, Sa’ada, Ammran, Hajjah, Shabwa and Taiz.

The second agreement lays down that the KFAED donates $35 million contribute to financing a project of developing the electricity network in Aden governorate.

After the signing ceremonies, the KFAED Director General said that by the first agreement’s grant, Kuwait fulfilled the financial pledge made to Yemen in the donor meeting held in London in 2006.

The second agreement is an outset of financing projects via the Kuwaiti grant gifted to Yemen in the 4th Friends of Yemen meeting held in New York in 27 September 2012.

In the conclusion of the 1st Yemeni-Turkish energy forum held May 25th ,Yemen and Turkey signed two memorandums of understanding for cooperation in the fields of oil and Electricity.

Minister of Oil and Minerals Ahmad Dares and Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Taner Yıldız signed a memorandum of understanding for cooperation between the two countries in the field of oil and minerals.

It contained opening wider areas of partnership between Yemen and Turkey in the fields of exploration of oil and minerals as well as facilitate joint action in the fields of oil, gas and minerals in addition to the establishment of joint companies for training and rehabilitation of Yemeni cadres.

Dares said the outcomes of Yemeni Turkish talks are Turkish willingness to help develop the electricity sector and its desire to buy large quantities of Yemeni liquefied natural gas (LNG).

The second a memorandum of understanding signed by Yemeni Ministry of Electricity and the Turkish Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources included the establishment of 163 MW electric power plant in Yemen, at a cost of $ 200 million as soft loan provided by Turkey to Yemen.

About 60 companies participated in the forum in which 24 of them are Turkish and 36 are Yemeni companies in addition to other investing companies working in Yemen in fields of oil, gas, minerals and energy.

Minister of Oil and Minerals Ahmed Dares launched the 1st Ye-

meni-Turkish energy forum. He said in his a speech that the 1st YemeniTurkish energy forum comes within the framework of the government policy to develop oil sector and open new opportunities for investment in the fields of oil. Dares added saying “ oil sector considers as one of the most important sectors which economic stability and build a future rely on.”

Dares confirmed that “This forum comes within the framework of a common desire between Yemen and Turkey to activate the energies and consolidate joint efforts to face challenges.

He pointed out that the Ministry of Oil and Minerals is seeking to carry out surveys of oil sectors aiming at providing the necessary information and encouraging of companies and investors, which reflects the seriousness in creating a suitable investment climate.

Dares hoped about the outcome of this forum saying “ the outcome must be a clear vision to strengthen the Economic partnership in the field of energy as well as enhancing cooperation and coordination between the two countries, which have historical ties.

He concluded his speech calling Turkey to help Yemen in the rehabilitation and training of human cadre in the oil, gas and minerals sectors.

For his part, Minister of Electricity Dr. Saleh Sumai’a said “We inherited a painful situation I terms of energy sector as the current generating energy does not exceed 750 megawatts at the level of the provinces of the republic so we urgently need to Turkish help to build new power system for replacing of our brothers the Turks being the need to new system power to replace the

current one as well as raise our energy electricity during the next ten years to five thousand megawatts.

He noted to the importance of cooperation with Turkish side especially in generation and distribution and transport of electrical energy, as well as benefiting from the experiences of Turkey in training and qualification of Yemeni cadres to develop energy sector in general.

For his part, Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Taner Yıldız confirmed the keenness of Turkish government to strengthen areas of cooperation with Yemen to include all economic and investment various.

Yıldız continued saying Turky wants to cooperate with Yemen in fields of energy, oil and gas through explorations process , purchasing of natural gas (LNG) as well as in the generation and production of electrical energy.

Yıldız ensured saying “We want to establish plants to generate electric power in Yemen and creation of an effective partnership between the private sector in Yemen and Turkey. “ Yıldız talked about his meetings with the Ministers of Oil and Electricity, saying that the Yemeni people would notice the outcomes soon.

Turkey has sustained difficult periods, encountering terrorism that has negative repercussions on the Turkish economic, but we managed to overcome all those challenges during the previous decade. Today, Turkey is the 17th largest economy in the world, Yıldız said.

Our goal is to share our experiences and the capabilities with our Yemeni brothers to take advantage from in all areas, he said.

SAUDI ARABIA SENDS 340 METRIC TONS OF DATES TO REFUGEES

BY OBSERVER STAFF

The United Nations World Food Programme welcomed on Sunday a 340 metric ton donation of dates, worth more than US$680,000, from Saudi Arabia to refugees in southern Yemen.

The dates, destined for distribution among refugees from the Horn of African southern Yemen, were officially handed over to WFP in a ceremony at the agency’s headquarters in Sana’a attended by officials from the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Finance in Riyadh and the Saudi Embassy in Sana’a.

“This is a timely donation, and WFP is grateful for this example of Saudi generosity,” said WFP Country Director Bishow Parajuli. “We’ll begin delivering these dates in June, on the eve of Ramadan, when thousands of poor, unfortunate people, far from their homes and seeking shelter in Yemen, could use whatever small measure of comfort we can provide.”

WFP will distribute the Saudi dates in monthly rations between June and December. Almost 20,000 refugees will eventually be reached, most of them located in and around the sprawling Kharaz Camp, isolated in the desert outside Aden in Lahj governorate.

In 2013, WFP is providing food as-

sistance to a total of 70,000 refugees from the Horn of Africa. The budget for the operation is US$4 million, of which all but US$600,000 has been provided. Aside from Saudi Arabia, major donors to WFP’s refugee activities are Denmark and Switzerland.

The majority of refugees are scattered across urban centres in Yemen, with a particularly heavy concentration in the Al Basateen district of Aden. More than 20,000 are housed in remote Kharaz Camp, where there are few prospects of employment, leaving the camp dwellers almost entirely dependent on humanitarian assistance.

In previous years, most refugees were from Somalia. But recent

trends have seen heavy increases of refugees from Eritrea and, especially, Ethiopia. Since the beginning of 2013, almost 30,000 people have landed on Yemen’s coast, 25,000 of them from Ethiopia.

Saudi Arabia has been a consistent contributor to WFP activities in Yemen. In 2012, the Kingdom contributed US$1.5 million to support WFP programmes, and this year the Saudis have donated US$5 million towards WFP’s Emergency Operation, a US$242 million programme that is the agency’s primary activity in Yemen in 2013. The operation is aimed at delivering food assistance to nearly 5 million people. As of midMay, it still needed US$95 million to meet all of its objectives.

Minister of Electricity and head the delegation Saleh Sumai’a explained to Saba upon departing Sana’a on Sunday that the forum, which is organized by Austrian Foreign Ministry in collaboration with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization “UNIDO” and the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA).,will discuss the best ways to avoid power shortages, which represents the major obstacle in the development.

The forum will also display the successful experiences of countries in this area, the minister added.

RUSSIAN BUSINESSMEN LOOK FOR INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN YEMEN

A Russian businessmen delegation is to visit Yemen soon to get acquainted with the investment opportunities in the country.

Prime Minister Mohammed Salem Basindwa and Russian ambassador to Yemen Sergei Koslov discussed here on Monday the underway arrangements for the Russian businessmen visit scheduled for the next June.

They stressed the importance of the joint coordination to achieve the desired goals in order to enhance the commercial and economic relations and encourage Russian companies to avail from the promising investment chances in Yemen.

Basindwa expressed the government’s support to such visits and its adherence to provide all facilities and merits to encourage the foreign businessmen to invest in the country, appreciating the attitudes of the Russian President and government to support the unity, stability and security of Yemen.

The Russian ambassador reiterated his country’s support for the security and unity of Yemen, and its commitment to provide the necessary aspects of assistance for the success of the ongoing transition.

TOTAL RECEIVES SUPPORT FROM THE YEMENI GOVERNMENT

Prime Minister Mohammed Salem Basindwa discussed on Sunday with Middle East Region Director at Total Company for Oil Exploration and Production Arno Breyak the oil and gas cooperation between Yemen and Total.

They also discussed progress of the company’s activities in its areas of concession in fields of oil exploration and production and in the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) project - led by Total and the future development plans the company intends to carry out.

Breyak said that the company’s work in Yemen is going well, valuing the support Total received from the Yemeni government.

He briefed the Premier on the activities Total plan to implement to expand exploration and increase production in the near future.

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Saturday - June 01, 2013 Vol. XVI - Issue 43

H E A LT H

Stevia Wonder and the Fructose Blues

A

ppreciations and tastes differ depending on geographic locations and periods of time. But there are some affinities that break cross cultural boundaries and will always have its place. Ne such example is the love for appeasing the taste buds. People like food and most specifically foods that are sweet. So it can be seen in every period of time that there was a way for people to satisfy such cravings. From the

“

BY HASNA ABDULMAJID

In these times sweetness comes in different forms and there is often confusion as to which kind is best. There are some who use stay away from sugar but still consume high fructose cornsyrup in various forms. Others stay away from both but use honey or agave nectar and for those who are dieting sweeteners like sweet and low or equal take the place of all the above. What is the difference between available sweeteners and what is the best option? One article on NY Times mentioned, “Sugar and corn syrup have become a large part of the American diet.

On average, teenagers get 17 percent of their daily calories from added sugar.

Meanwhile, public health officials have taken note that more and more studies suggest a link between sugar consumption and health issues like obesity and diabetes. S ome go so far as to say that sugar is toxic to our bodies, and as dangerous to our health as cigarettes.”

There is a reason for the emphasis on “ added” sugars vs. sugars. Because many of the foods we eat contain sugars that are naturally occurring. Fructose and lactose for example are natural sugars that are found in fruits, dairy products, vegetables and fuel the body with other much needed vitamins proteins and nutrients along with their natural sugars. But processed foods contain added sugars which are empty calories. They are called empty being that they are completely devoid of any essential nutrients.

What are some of the effects of these added sugars? How does the body process them? And what is the best option?

Sweet Effects An article on fitbie mentions various studies that link excessive soft drink intake with diabetes. They explain, “ The reason is twofold: Loading up on sugarsweetened beverages tends to lead to weight gain, which is a risk factor for diabetes. Previous studies have found that those who toss back high-calorie drinks

sweetmeats of the middle ages or the fruits and nuts preserved in honey in Ancient Egypt and the sugar plums of England in the seventeenth century. . As people age their taste buds are not as strong as they once were but the sweet tastebuds remain intact. You might notice how the elderly often lose their desire for food and grandma might put up a fuss to eat dinner but has no problem with eating dessert.

Avoid soda and other unnatural drinks as they will not aid in your health but harm it instead

tend not to cut calories elsewhere from their meals. Second, sugar-loaded drinks deliver a quick rush of sugars to your body, which over time can lead to insulin resistance and inflammation, explains Jacob Teitelbaum, MD, author of Beat Sugar Addiction Now!” Bodyecology.com lists a few of the illnesses that sugar intake can contribute to •Feeds candida •Promotes wrinkling and aging skin •Makes your blood acidic •Can lead to osteoporosis.

•Rots your teeth •Raises your blood sugar level •Contributes to obesity •Is addictive (almost as much as drugs) •Can create the urge to binge •Provides ‘empty calories’ with no nutritional value •Contributes to diabetes •Robs your body of minerals.

•Robs you of energy •Contributes to heart problems •Can cause cancer •Contributes to ulcers •Can cause gallstones •Contributes to adrenal fatigue •Can suppress your immune system •Raises the level of neurotransmitters called serotonin •Weakens eyesight •Sugar can cause hypoglycemia (low blood sugar levels).

•Can cause aging •Can contribute to eczema •Can cause arthritis

It looks like honey but…Many forms of High Fructose Corn Syrup’s are made from genetically modified corn which studies have showed increase cancer risk. Sometimes they are called “ corn sugars” . Different name , same game

Glucose vs Fructose Sugar (sucrose) and High Fructose Corn Syrup both consist of two simple sugars… glucose and fructose. Glucose can be found in the starches of potatoes, our bodies produce it and every single cell has glucose in it as it is vital to life.

Fructose on the other hand is not produced however, is not. Humans don’t produce fructose

“

ease and cancer.

Foodrenegade has an article which says, “Because fructose is digested in your liver, it is immediately turned into triglycerides or stored body fat. Since it doesn’t get converted to blood glucose like other sugars, it doesn’t raise or crash your blood sugar levels. Hence the claim that it is safe for diabetics.

But it isn’t.

That’s because fructose inhibits leptin levels — the hormone your body uses to tell you that you’re full. In other words, fructose makes you want to eat more. Besides contributing to weight gain, it also makes you gain the most dangerous kind of fat.”

Composition: Sucrose (50% glucose 50% fructose) Raw Sugar Raw sugar is just cane sugar that has been processed less – it’s harvested earlier on in the processing/refining so its more grainy and less white in appearance.

Composition: Sucrose (50% glucose 50% fructose)

Subtracting these Additions The additions that are put in foods , especially processed are not always the pure white powder that we are used to.

They come in various forms.

Some of them may be natural but are still harmful in the way that they raise your blood sugar rapidly. Modern Health Monk outlined the main sweeteners and their composition. In summary they were :

High Fructose Corn syrup Also known as HFC, High Fructose Corn Syrup is often used by those who want to stay away from sugar and beleive that it is a better option. However in soda it’s about 55% fructose especially if it’s in soda. So it’s actually higher in fructose than cane sugar in all its forms.

Glucose = from carbs.

Fructose = from fruits, honey, agave, and high fructose corn syrup.

Dextrose = usually produced commercially then added to food to sweeten it.

Sucrose = white table sugar, produced from the sugar cane plant (& other sources).

and throughout evolutionary history was only consumed when fruit was ripe.

So Glucose and fructose are metabolized by the body in completely different ways.

So while every cell can utilize glucose only the liver can metabolize fructose in the type of amounts that most people are consuming it in. When people eat a diet that is high in fructose, the liver gets overloaded and starts turning the fructose into fat.

Many scientists believe that diets excessive in fructose may be the main cause for many diseases of today, including: obesity, type II diabetes, heart dis-

Honey has medicinal benefits but in moderation

White Sugar White sugar is the form that most people are familiar with. It is cane sugar that is refined from plant form into smooth grains. Afterwards it is washed or sometimes bleached to give it an extra white appearance. This is done so that it has a more neutral taste and a longer shelf life.

It’s the same as cane sugar just further down the refining process – this is still natural and comes directly from a plant.

Brown Sugar Brown sugar white sugar that has molasses added. The browner is it the more molasses is added.

Composition: Sucrose (50% glucose 50% fructose)

Agave Nectar It sounds exotic and wholesome but Agave Nectar is to the agave plant what High Fructose Corn syrup is to corn.

What many people don’t know is that it has MORE fructose than High Fructose Corn syrup. It is not a natural sweetener and consists of at least 70% fructose.

Dangerous Alternatives There are those who are diabetic who are aware of their blood sugar rising and when you visit the supermarkets in Yemen there are options like sweet and low or splenda. What many don’t realize is this contains aspartame which is dangerous in another way. These should be avoided.

A great option for those who want to avoid that blood spike and also overburdening the liver is the stevia plant. One company sells an option that is healthy and perfect for sweetening teas, coffee yogurt and even baking with (if you have the patience to open up dozens of packets.) Steviana is sold in Sanaa at locations such as Al Huda and City Mart for no more than 600 riyals.

Avoid soda and other unnatural drinks as they will not aid in your health but harm it instead.

Hasna’ Abdulmajid is an expatriate who came to Yemen to study Arabic and Islamic studies in a traditional manner. A visual artist and former radio host, she is currently writing pieces for the Yemeni Observer which highlight vital social aspects of the global and local community. If you have any comments or constructive criticism Email her @ hasna.abdulmajid@gmail.com

Saturday - June 01, 2013 Vol. XVI - Issue 43

INTERVIEW

7

THE WB ENCOURAGES OTHER DONORS

TO ALLOCATE THEIR FINANCIAL PLEDGES

H

artwig Schafer, World Bank Director for Egypt Yemen, and Djibouti in the Middle East and North Africa Region, confirmed that about $6.1 billion out of $7.8 billion of donors pledges, closed to 80% has been allocated to specific BY:FAISAL DAREM

Yemen Observer: What is the purpose of your visit to Yemen?

Hartwig Schafer: This is my sixth visit to Yemen. I come every 4 – 6 weeks, and that definitely reflects the importance the World Bank gives to Yemen; to its economic, political and security transition. This is basically a continuation of previous visits that we had before to review our program. This particular visit was for signing with the Yemeni government the US$25 million Additional Finance to the Social Fund for Development. I also had meetings at the Ministries of Planning and Finance as well as the Central Bank to discuss the program for the next fiscal year.

YO: Tell us about the financial allocations as the outcome of donor meetings?

Schafer: You may remember in September, at the Donor Conference in Riyadh, and the Friends of Yemen meeting in New York. At the Riyadh meeting, the Development Partners pledged US$7.5 billion and at the New York meeting this was close to US$8 billion- a large share from Saudi Arabia totaling US$3.5 billion. The World Bank pledged US$400 million.

As of today of the US$7.8 billion pledged some US$6.1 billion, representing about 80% has been allocated to specific projects in sectors such as health, education, water and infrastructure, to mention a few. These projects have a direct impact on improving people’s livelihood.

The Bank approved the US$25 million Additional Finance to the Social Fund for Development. This brings the total committed by the Bank to around US$1 billion.

YO: How does the World Bank encourage donors to allocate their pledges?

Schafer: We have a good working partnership the Yemeni government and the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. We co-chaired the meeting in Riyadh and we took on the responsibility to monitor the allocation of the pledges and administer the actual signing of the agreement under the disbursement, where the

About $6.1 billion out of $7.8 billion of donors pledges, closed to 80% has been allocated to specific projects contribution of each donor is specified and the amount already committed.

YO: The World Bank supports infrastructure projects…Why does not the Bank support productive projects which are more beneficial for the Yemeni economy?

Schafer: While the Bank does not directly support individuals or organizations, there are projects supported by the Social Fund for Development, and these are considered small and micro enterprises projects. One of the areas that the World Bank group is focusing on is Public-Private Partnerships.

In this instance, the private sector undertakes the investment and the Bank provides assistance in the development of the legal framework.

In Yemen the office of International Finance Corporation (IFC) supports the private sector and avails loans to investment projects.

We hope that Yemeni investors will collaborate to create jobs and create private sector growth.

YO: The World Bank Spring Meetings- what does it mean for Yemen?

Schafer: It was a very successful Spring Meeting. The Yemeni delegation was led by Al-Sadi, Min-

projects.

Schafer called donors to step forward and honor their commitments to advance the development in Yemen.

Yemen Observer interviewed Mr. Schafer during his visit to Yemen.

Hartwig Schafer speaks with the reporter Faisal Darem about the efforts of the World Bank to encourage donors to allocate their pledges. ister of Planning and International Cooperation. The Yemeni delegation met with the World Bank Vice President for the Middle East and North Africa, (MENA) the IMF, in addition to some technical meetings. In the meetings, the MENA Vice President confirmed that the World Bank is committed to finance the Mocha Wind project together with a number of donors and partners from the Gulf Cooperation Council and the Saudi Fund as well as another major project- the Aden-Taiz Highway. World Bank teams will discuss with the government the Aden-Taiz Highway and the Mocha Wind projects.

mal if the life span of a project is 4-5 years. Currently the portfolio comprises of projects in the areas of road access, education, water and so on. In examining IDA 17 replenishment, it is critical that there is speedy implementation of these projects. It is important that projects reach their targets and make difference in the life of the people of Yemen- in Hodeida, Aden, Hadramaut and Sana’a. Only with tangible results and benefits to the people can the allocation for Yemen be increased.

YO: What is the evaluation of

Yemeni currency that has improved and appreciated, a decreasing inflation rate and macroeconomic statistics point in the right direction.

The one important achievement has been the peaceful political transition. The national dialogue has taken place and was highly appreciated at the Friends of Yemen meeting. I think what is important now is that the government continues with those policies.

The Bank’s portfolio embraces 27 projects under implementation. This includes 4 projects approved ,this year

YO: Two message the first for the government and the other for donors?

World Bank in terms of performance of the Yemeni government?

Schafer: So far we are very pleased with the progress the government is making. We understand the Yemeni government has taken on a troubled economy. But we are happy to see a more a stabilized

Schafer: The message to the Yemeni government is to continue implementing the policies particularly on good governance, transparency and fighting corruption, creating a good framework and an enabling environment for the private sector.

For the donors, congratulations for those donors who have committed and made pledges available, and signed agreements with the Yemeni government. For those donors who have not yet announced their commitment, I would like to encourage them to do so. A donors’ meeting will be held within the next few months where the government and the donor community will jointly review progress on commitment of pledges. So for donors which are waiting -Please do step forward.

YO: The IDA Replenishments What impact does it have on the Yemeni economy?

Schafer: Yemen is one of two IDA eligible countries in the region, the other is Djibouti. Yemen clearly is a very important Arab country and the Bank is keen to see more resources from IDA allocated to Yemen. To make a case for allocating more resources, we need to ensure that the continuation of the current transition process is good for business and the stabilization of the microeconomic situation is very important. The progress in project implementation is extremely important on the ground. Currently, the Bank’s portfolio embraces 27 projects under implementation.

This includes 4 projects approved this year, making a total amount of US$915 million, out of which US$668 million is still unspent and needs to be disbursed. This is nor-

May 2013

SURVEY: 58% OF YEMENIS INTERESTED IN NATIONAL DIALOGUE CONFERENCE A newly-released survey has stated that around 58 percent of Yemeni citizens are keeping track of developments in the National Dialogue Conference (NDC).

Conducted by PERCENT for Polling Research, 1000 people in 19 Yemeni governorates were surveyed.

According to the survey results, 76% of Yemeni men and 39% of women above 14 years of age have been paying attention to NDC activities.

Geographically speaking, the highest rate of interest in the NDC was in Dhamar governorate, where 91% of people expressed an interest in the conference. Lahj came in second, at 85%. In both governorates, there was a 10% gap in interest among genders, with more men than women expressing interest.

In Taiz, 82% of citizens said they were keeping track of the NDC; for Taizi women, the percentage was 51%.

Overall, 75% of citizens in Dhale governorate are keeping track; however, in Dhale there was a 30% disparity in interest in favor of men.

In Raima and Jawf, all men surveyed said they were interested in NDC activity; meanwhile, the percentages for women in the respective governorates were only 30 and 20.

Only 27% of citizens, most of them men, in Baidha are keeping track of the NDC; for Marib, the number is only slightly better at 30% In Hadhramout, 33% of those surveyed expressed interest; meanwhile, in the capital city of Sana’a, only 40% of men and 24% of women reported that

they were keeping track of NDC events and activities.

The survey also found that the differential in urban and rural areas was not significantly high.

62% of urban citizens, as compared with 56% of rural citizens, expressed interest in the NDC. In terms of the age of those surveyed, 39% of people 65 years of age and over said they were interested in the NDC. On the other hand, 61% of citizens between the ages of 35 and 44 said they were interested.

Meanwhile, just 32% of surveyed illiterate citizens stated that they had in interest in the National Dialogue.

It was found that the higher the degrees possessed by citizens, the more likely it was that they would be keeping track of the NDC.

Casualties Ignored Bagpipe Player Jewish History

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Saturday - June 01, 2013 Vol. XVI - Issue 43

HOTELS

E N T E R TA I N M E N T Sudoku

Crossword Puzzle Across 1. Sit and inquire after order (11) 9. & 10A, Heard wobbly boat and ceramic layer, as well as old campaign slogan (13) 10. see 9A (8) 12. Wager a letter (4) 14. We object to gin by exploiting people (5) 15. Short city in low greens (5) 19. Not able to handle slang (4) 20. The sappiest song shuts EMI (8) 22. Ye happy others, when getting analysis (13) 24. Inferior underling (11) Down 2. First Ed sees purple for that extra sense (3) 3. Dead sure when ring attaches to the underside without doubt (8) 4. All there with some less easy when doing ski maneuver (6) 5. Stamped on Tom’s pole (4) 6. Each one gets a grave, normally (9) 7. Affirm a condition (5) 8. Ladies less Sue are perfect (5) 11. Spooner thought using Lou was hard when we broke up (9) 13. Lath keen said Spooner about wife (8) 16. Two points grabbed Bobby’s range (5) 17. Golf club turned down from right in a stroke (6) 18. Supports remains (5) 21. John O’Groats expresses dismay (4) 23. Rat spins with flair (3)

QUOTATION Beauty has a lot to do with character.

Kevyn Aucoin Character There is no definition of beauty, but when you can see someone’s spirit coming through, something unexplainable, that’s beautiful to me.

Liv Tyler Beautiful, Someone, Through Quote For me the greatest beauty always lies in the greatest clarity.

Gotthold Ephraim Lessing Greatest, Lies, Clarity Since love grows within you, so beauty grows. For love is the beauty of the soul.

Saint Augustine Love, Soul, Since I define nothing. Not beauty, not patriotism. I take each thing as it is, without prior rules about what it should be.

Bob Dylan Patriotism, Nothing, Rules Beauty is worse than wine, it intoxicates both the holder and beholder.

Aldous Huxley Wine, Both, Worse

Quote Beauty in things exists in the mind which contemplates them.

David Hume Mind, Exists I do not have much patience with a thing of beauty that must be explained to be understood. If it does need additional interpretation by someone other than the creator, then I question whether it has fulfilled its purpose.

Charlie Chaplin Patience, Someone, Purpose I don’t think of all the misery but of the beauty that still remains.

Anne Frank Misery, Remains Beauty is not caused. It is.

Emily Dickinson Caused Beauty is truth’s smile when she beholds her own face in a perfect mirror.

Rabindranath Tagore Truth, Smile, Perfect Beauty is everywhere a welcome guest.

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Welcome, Guest, Everywhere It is amazing how complete is the delusion that beauty is goodness.

Leo Tolstoy Amazing, Goodness, Delusion A mode of conduct, a standard of courage, discipline, fortitude and integrity can do a great deal to make a woman beautiful.

Jacqueline Bisset Great, Courage, Beautiful Beauty, n: the power by which a woman charms a lover and terrifies a husband.

Ambrose Bierce Power, Husband, Woman Dear God! how beauty varies in nature and art. In a woman the flesh must be like marble; in a statue the marble must be like flesh.

Victor Hugo Nature, God, Art Beauty doesn’t need ornaments.

Softness can’t bear the weight of ornaments.

Munshi Premchand Bear, Weight, Softness Beauty is in the heart of the beholder.

H. G. Wells Heart, Beholder Let us live for the beauty of our own reality.

Charles Lamb

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Live, Reality Every year of my life I grow more convinced that it is wisest and best to fix our attention on the beautiful and the good, and dwell as little as possible on the evil and the false.

Richard Cecil Life, Good, Best Never lose an opportunity of seeing anything beautiful, for beauty is God’s handwriting.

Charles Kingsley God, Beautiful, Lose Beauty is the promise of happiness.

Edmund Burke Happiness, Promise We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures that we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open.

Jawaharlal Nehru Live, End, Eyes Imagination disposes of everything; it creates beauty, justice, and happiness, which are everything in this world.

Blaise Pascal Read more at http://www. brainyquote.com/quotes/ topics/topic_beauty2. html#FQ0KuD8EblmPgtSU.99

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Saturday - June 01, 2013 Vol. XVI - Issue 43

Y E M E N I N I N T E R N AT I O N A L M E D I A

FIRST YEMEN, THEN THE WORLD THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN

Yesterday’s news from Yemen is unbelievable, and it raises questions about whether there might just be light at the end of the tunnel. It is impossible not to be tantalized by the potential of these events to change the course of Yemen’s history. What’s important, however, is that we focus on what this means to the people.

The media seems too caught up in spinning the facts to pay attention to the important effects on daily life. Just call it missing the fields for the wheat.

When thinking about the ongoing troubles, it’s important to remember three things: One, people don’t behave like lemmings, so attempts to treat them as such are a waste of time. Lemmings never suddenly blow themselves

up. Two, Yemen has spent decades as a dictatorship closed to

extraordinarily powerful idea: If ethnic conflict is Yemen’s curtain rod, then freedom is certainly its tabletop.

When I was in Yemen last June, I was amazed by the people’s basic desire for a stable life, and that tells me two things. It tells me that the citizens of Yemen have no shortage of human capital, and that is a good beginning to grow from. Second, it tells me that people in Yemen are just like people anywhere else on this flat earth of ours.

the world, so a mindset of peace and stability will seem foreign and strange. And three, freedom is an

So what should we do about the chaos in Yemen? Well, it’s easier to start with what we should not do. We should not ignore the problem and pretend it will go away. Beyond that, we need to be careful to nurture the fragile foundations of peace. The opportunity is there, but I worry that the path

to stability is so poorly marked that Yemen will have to move down it very slowly. And of course Sanaa needs to come to terms with its own history.

Speaking with a young student from the small Jewish community here, I asked him if there was any message that he wanted me to carry back home with me. He pondered for a second, and then smiled and said, logontes y fuelo, which is a local saying that means roughly, “Abundance, like want, ruins many.”

I don’t know what Yemen will be like a few years from now, but I do know that it will remain true to its cultural heritage, even if it looks very different from the country we see now. I know this because, through all the disorder, the people still haven’t lost sight of their dreams.

THE OVERLOOKED THREAT IN YEMEN President Obama’s speech on terrorism today overlooked the important fact that the central pillar of our counter-terrorism policy in Yemen is failing badly. American drone strikes there have always been very limited in number and even in impact — success against al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) resulted in large part from the actions of the Yemeni Security Forces. But those forces—our partners in preventing AQAP from acquiring room to plan and conduct the next transnational attack—are crumbling fast. Air strikes will not be sufficient to contain AQAP without competent Yemeni soldiers who can raid AQAP cell hideouts, conduct counter-terrorism operations, and fight ground battles against the AQAP-affiliated insurgents.

Unfortunately, the Yemeni Armed Forces are suffering from a mounting wave of brigade-level mutinies in several of Yemen’s most important combat theaters. No fewer than eight brigades have mutinied since Yemen’s President Abdu Rabbu Mansour Hadi gave the armed forces a major overhaul on April 11. Worse still, since Hadi took office on February 21, 2012, twenty brigades have rebelled, along with the Air Force Police, the Political Security Organization, and the staff at various air bases.

Before we get caught up once again

IMAGE CREDIT: OFFICIAL WHITE HOUSE PHOTO BY PETE SOUZA (WIKIMEDIA COMMONS)

in the drone debate or the Guantanamo Bay media spiral, perhaps we should consider an equally if not more important question: How can we build capacity in Yemen so that the military is better able to cope with our enemies on the ground in their operating environment – in other words, in

places like the Yemeni governorates of Ma’rib, al Bayda, and Abyan? All of those governorates, incidentally, have experienced at least one brigade mutiny in the past month. How can we prevent brigades fighting at the front against AQAP from bucking orders?

How can we improve professional-

ism across the board to counter the Yemeni army’s rampant corruption, strong patronage networks, and poor leadership? If these questions are not answered sufficiently, Yemeni counter-terrorism policy in Yemen will fail, no matter how we rework our drone and detainee policies.

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SUPPORTERS OF YEMEN’S FORMER PRESIDENT ALI ABDULLAH SALEH SHOUT SLOGANS DURING THE ANNIVERSARY OF AN ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT ON SALEH IN SANA’A, YEMEN, FRIDAY, MAY 17, 2013. SALEH, ALONG WITH OTHER SENIOR FIGURES WERE INJURED IN A BOMB ATTACK AT HIS PRESIDENTIAL COMPOUND IN SANA’A ON JUNE 3, 2011.

Safety and good governance will be impossible to establish without a strategy for creating prosperity and opportunity for all

As representatives of governments from across the world gathered in London for the international conference on Somalia, earlier this month, it was worth reminding ourselves that in dealing with civil conflicts and failed states, prevention is always better than cure.

Had conferences like this been convened in the 1980s, it might have been possible to foster the political compromises and economic progress needed to avoid more than two decades of poverty, famine, lawlessness and war. The correct conclusion to draw is that as well as dealing with the Somalia of today, the international community should be thinking about how to prevent the Somalias of tomorrow.

We do not need to look far to find a suitable candidate for this kind of preventive security. On the opposite side of the Gulf of Aden from Somalia lies Yemen, a country that faces major problems of political division, insecurity and underdevelopment and where the situation remains extremely fragile more than a year after president Ali Abdullah Saleh was forced out of office following widespread protests. A six-month National Dialogue involving 565 delegates from across the country was launched in March to resolve differences and agree to a new constitution. However, key groups within the opposition are boycotting the process and large protests demanding independence have been held in the south. A successful transition to a more stable political order is far from certain.

Behind this crisis is a country facing enormous long-term structural problems and an urgent need to embark on a new developmental path. Poverty is rife with unemployment running at around 40 per cent. A similar proportion of Yemenis lack access to clean water, a problem that is set to get worse as existing aquifers start to run dry. By the end of the decade, Sana’a may become the first national capital in the world to run out of its own water supply. Malnutrition is another source of hardship with about a third of the population lacking adequate food. Something like 90 per cent of the country’s food supply has to be imported, leaving it vulnerable to fluctuations in global commodity prices.

These problems are going to be compounded by two additional factors in the years ahead. First, oil production, which accounts for 75 per cent of government revenues and 90 per cent of export earnings, is on the decline. It is not clear whether new oil and gas production will be sufficient to replace declining fields. So, without new sources of growth, the country may not be able to meet the cost of essential food imports.

Second, the population of Yemen is expanding rapidly at 3 per cent per annum and is projected to double to more than 50 million by the middle of the century. More than two-fifths of Yemenis are now under the age of 15. With depleting resources and expanding needs, the need for a fundamental change of direction can hardly be clearer.

Unless the international community is able to help the country

meet these challenges effectively within a Yemen-wide framework, the risk of conflict and fragmentation will rise as different groups and regions seek to pursue their own unilateral solutions. The government of Yemen already faces multiple challenges to its authority in the form of secessionist demands in the south, tribal rebellion in the north and the violent activities of Al Qaida. A further weakening of government authority will result in a complete breakdown of order at great cost to the security of the region and the well-being of its people. Yemen occupies a strategically important position at the entrance to Red Sea, one of the great maritime checkpoints already threatened by Somali piracy. The consequences of state failure can spill over, creating additional problems of crime, migration and terrorism for countries in East Africa, the Gulf and beyond.

Sustained international engagement is therefore crucial.

The Friends of Yemen initiative, launched with the support of the United Kingdom and the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council, has done a lot so far to galvanise financial support and diplomatic attention. But the $8 billion (Dh29.42 billion) pledged by donors is less than half the figure the government of Yemen says it needs to prevent economic deterioration — only a fifth of that money has been provided so far. Meanwhile, the UN’s $716 million humanitarian appeal for Yemen is only 2 per cent funded. This amounts to significant shortfalls in the levels of resources required to meet the country’s immediate needs, never mind construct a new and sustainable path of national development for the long-term.

The priority western leaders give to counter-terrorism and political reform in framing their policy towards Yemen is understandable. However, security and good governance will be impossible to establish without a strategy for creating prosperity and opportunity for all Yemenis. The country has dropped to 160th in the UN human development index with serious deficiencies in literacy, school attendance and health. Yet, if it is going to avoid a major crisis caused by declining resources and a growing population, it needs to find ways to harness the energy of its youth and turn the demographic challenge into an opportunity for growth. That cannot be achieved without huge social investments over a long period of time — resources and patience that will only come with outside help.

Yemen’s problems are too big to be either solved with a series of crisis interventions or to be ignored by the rest of the world.

They require sustained commitment for the long-term. It is inevitable that diplomatic priorities will be shaped by the most serious and immediate crises of the moment, but the Somalia conference has reminded us of what happens when short-term strategy inhibits the development of policies needed to prevent state failure. We must not allow that to become the fate of Yemen.

Mohammed Mahfoodh Al Ardhi, chairman of Sundus Investment Projects LLC, was the longestserving Omani commander (now retired) of the Royal Air Force of Oman, vice-chairman of the National Bank of Oman and a member of Brookings Institution’s International Advisory Council.

Yemen’s Most Informed, Professional & Widely Circulated

SATURDAY - JUNE 01, 2013 VOL. XVI - ISSUE 43

BUSINESS TRAVEL TO ITALY The mission, comprised of 17 businessmen from the private sector, will include Mr Hayel Saeed Anam from United Engineering Automobile Co., Mr Mohammed Saif Thabet from the Thabet Group, Mr Alawi Al-Attas from the Al Attas Group, Mr Zaghlool Bazara, Adel Abdulkader Ahmed Khorsheed and Mr Toufiq Mutaher among others.

Italy has always been a strong sup-

porter of Yemen. This initiative was proposed by the Italian Embassy to enhance Italy’s good relations with Yemen, and to activate and increase investments and evaluate Yemen for Italian investments.

According to Mr Hael Saeed Anam they also hope to establish a Yemeni -Italian Business Association in the process.

Their itinerary includes visits to

vestment is the unstable security situation. Mr Hael Saeed Anam is positive that it will be settled soon and that promotion and encouragement is required to bring outside investment back to Yemen. The delegation hopes that the assurance of these successful Yemeni businessmen will provide the outside investors the confidence to give the economy the boost it needs.

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The Ambassador of Italy in Yemen, H.E. Luciano Galli, will personally accompany a delegation of prominent and well-established Yemeni businessmen to Italy for a few days in June in order to meet with governmental and private interlocuters to verify the possibility of mutual investments.

This will be the first official visit to Italy from Yemen in a long time.

ministry officials, traders, and various industries to discuss relations and business opportunities in Italy, and how to stimulate trade and industry and encourage bilateral trade and investment between the two countries. Two of the topics of discussion will be suggestions for investment from both sides and the development of the Free Zone in Aden. One of Yemen’s most important impediments to foreign in-