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UK Appoints New Ambassador NY Staff

Mr. Jonathan Wilks The UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) announced on Wednesday 29th September that Mr. Jonathan Wilks would replace Timothy Torlot, the current UK Ambassador to Yemen, this month. Mr. Wilks, the new ambassador, is a veteran of the Middle East, having spent more around twenty years in postings around the Arab and Islamic World. In addition, Mr. Wilks is a

trained Arabist, and has completed two post-graduate degrees; one in Middle East Politics from Durham University (UK), and another in International Relations from St. Anthony’s College, in the University of Oxford. His previous posting was as UK Deputy Head of Mission (DHM) in Baghdad, Iraq. Before that he served as the first UK spokesman to the Arab world, a post which he enjoyed for two years. However, Mr. Wilks also brings considerable and relatively recent specialist experience in security and stability related diplomacy, as he was deputy head of the FCO’s politico-military ‘Security Policy Group’. It is thought that Mr. Wilks’ appointment further consolidates the increasing importance places on Britain’s interests, most especially related to UK security concerns, in Yemen. In mid-September the direc-

tor-general of the UK domestic intelligence agency, the ‘Security Service’ (known as MI5) spoke to security industry professionals, in a rare, public statement, warned that Britain’s main security threats were now emanating from Yemen and Somalia, and less intensely from traditionally-thought of places, such as Pakistan. The outgoing UK Ambassador, Mr. Torlot, faced a much more tangible threat when his convoy was attacked by a suicide bomber in April this year. Whilst no one, except the suicide bomber, was killed in the attack, the event raised fears that were only slowly being buried after the US embassy in Sana’a faced a sustained assault in the summer of 2008. Security, it seems, remains the priority. Mr. Wilks stated that he “will be working hard for an effective bilateral partnership that strengthens the security, stability and prosperity of both countries.”

Yemeni players Al-Ansi and Sanad secure gold medals in the doubles tournament in the West Asia Tennis Tournament in Syria yesterday. The entire team results mean that Yemen trumps the tournament, ranking first.

Czech President to Visit President Saleh Saba Net

Samsung President Visits Yemen NY Staff Young Soo Kim, the President of Samsung Gulf Electronics, has scheduled to meet business partners and retailers in Yemen today, to further consolidate Samsung’s interest in the growing Yemeni electronics market. Samsung has recorded year-on-year growth of 10% in Yemen. “This past year has seen our investment in Yemen increase exponentially, as we consider

this to be one of Samsung’s key developing markets across the region,” continued Kim. “The business and growth opportunities available, place Yemen at the forefront of our industry as a key player in its regional growth,” Mr. Soo Kim said. “Our strong base of business partners and retailers in Yemen act as a catalyst for Samsung’s continued market growth, where our leadership is

continuously improving by offering consumers the latest in technology, design and quality.” He is also releasing a range of new products to Yemeni audiences, such as new Galaxy Smartphones, and the radical line of new 3D TVs, including the world’s largest 65” 3D LED TV.

Saudis seek combat helicopters for Yemen border World Tribune – Abu Dhabi Saudi Arabia has sought advanced attack helicopters to battle Iranian-backed insurgents along the kingdom’s border with Yemen. Western diplomatic sources said Saudi King Abdullah has approved the procurement of billions of dollars worth of attack and other combat helicopters to bolster security along the kingdom’s border with Yemen. The sources said Abdullah agreed to a recommendation by Deputy Prime Minister Prince Nayef Bin Abdul Aziz and

Deputy Defense Minister Khaled Bin Sultan that Riyad quickly acquire U.S. helicopters. “The recommendation was submitted in the spring of 2010 after the poor performance of the Saudi Air Force against Shi’ite rebels from Yemen,” a Western diplomat said. The sources said the Interior Ministry and Defense Ministry concluded that the Royal Saudi Air Force failed to detect and track an estimated 1,500 Shi’ite fighters who penetrated Saudi

Arabia in November 2009 during the rebellion in Yemen. They said the Saudi fleet of U.S.-origin F-15 and Tornado fighter-jets were forced to fly at high altitudes to avoid the prospect of Shi’ite rebel surface-toair missiles. “The [Saudi] military could not find anybody from the air, and so was always on the defensive,” another Western source said. “The conclusion was that the Saudis must buy advanced helicopters as soon as possible.”

Czech President Vaclav Klaus is expected to pay an official visit to Yemen in October in reply to an invitation from President Ali Abdullah Saleh, the weekly newspaper 26septmber reported on Thursday. Well-informed sources said that the Czech President would hold talks with senior officials in the Yemeni government, dealing with the common interests and cooperation relations in various fields as well as discussing a number of international and regional issues. Notably, the first agreement

Gulf Daily News signed between the two countries over establishing diplomatic ties was in 1938, followed by opening an embassy of Czechoslovakia in Sana’a in 1964. A number of Yemenis have studied in Czechoslovakia or currently in Czech Republic. The cooperation bilateral agenda includes projects in water management and development of electricity generation. Czech financing for bilateral development with Yemen reaches up to $1 M per year.

Migrant Boat Capsizes, 13 Die AP The U.S. Navy says a boat carrying 85 African migrants capsized in the Gulf of Aden off the coast of Yemen, drowning at least 13 passengers on Wednesday. A ship belonging to the U.S.’s Bahrain-based Fifth Fleet discovered the overcrowded boat Sunday, rendered assistance and began towing back to Somalia from where it originated. The Navy says that while transferring humanitarian sup-

Yemen tensions ‘a threat to Gulf’

plies to the boat on Monday, it began to take on water and sink as the passengers rushed to one side of the vessel. All passengers were thrown overboard and eight people remain missing. The United Nations says an estimated 74,000 Africans, mainly from Ethiopia and Somalia fled to Yemen as refugees in 2009. Most cross the Gulf of Aden in rickety and overcrowded vessels run by smugglers.

RISING tension in Yemen threatens to destabilise the entire Gulf, according to a Bahrain-based international think tank. The country’s political and economic situation should be of immediate concern to neighbouring countries, said International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) consulting senior fellow for Middle East and south Asia Michael Crawford. He was speaking during the inaugural one-day IISS Global Perspective Series forum at the organisation’s office in the Bahrain Financial Harbour yesterday. “It may be a long way away, but I think Yemen has the capacity to destabilise the whole Arabian Peninsula,” he said. “It should be of immediate concern, especially to GCC governments and to those further afield, like the US, the UK and many others. “Yemen, in some ways, seems very distant to us here in Bahrain. “If you look out the window, the view of Bahrain bears little resemblance to that across the city of Sanaa or any others in Yemen.” However, Mr Crawford Continued on ( 3 )

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National Yemen

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The new academic year of 2010-2010 has started since last week of September with new rules from the ministry of education and sub-offices in the governorate to ensure a steady and progressive study from the offset. This would really be a remarkable step – if only it were true! Fifteen absences from school will lead to the dismissal of the teacher (the reverse of the emphasis in Western educational systems). Students, of course, will face suspension from school and stay one year at home. Applying rules in the educational process is a must, for it is the necessary safeguard for a better future, because the right education ensures a better, brighter future. Study has become more commercial in Yemen nowadays, as learning providers are spread across private schools and a very limited number of government schools. The lack of educational methods, proper understanding of pedagogy, under-qualified teachers and lack of learning resources is bringing Yemen back into the second bottom in education, according to a recent World Bank report. For that, the government has come up with new rules, but they are dated back fifteen years. The goal is to ensure a proper education like to have a central-

By Fuad Al-Qadhi

ized and regulated examination system for the 6th, 9th and 12th grade years, as opposed to internal marking and assessment. From an educational perspective a tougher education is not necessarily the right education. Education must be a priority in developing of the country, and this will never happen unless we have a proper atmosphere in which the student not only learns, but is encouraged to learn, and where they can be attracted to do more and take on other responsibilities. Teachers and payment is another challenge, obstacle even, to having a proper education. The expectation here is that a teacher’s salary is generally between $120 or $200. Evidently such a salary will never attract and motivate good teachers. Teaching was the most respectable and sought after career in the eighties. This unfortunately simply isn’t the case anymore. It unfortunately is one of the more contemptible jobs. Appalling anecdotes have arisen, and perhaps add to this myth that teaching isn’t a noble profession to enter. Several stories have surfaced about teachers who apply for a job, only to send one of his or her unemployed and unqualified relatives to do the job. Students thus have become the victims, and it is they who will pay the price of a poor education, whilst our generation pays the increasingly outrageous school fees. The government is funding an educational system and structure that collapsed years ago. Donors are supplementing these payments. Parents are paying students’ fees. Everyone is paying unreasonable prices. But the only ones it is costing are our children.

The participants of the second conference of the FamilyOwned Companies held in Sana’a from 29 to 30 September under the title “FamilyOwned Companies in Yemen: Towards Institutional Work”, affirmed the importance of family-owned companies and preserving them for their pivotal role in economic development in the country. They also stressed the importance of promoting these companies, making them governmental institutional companies, working on rehabilitating and

training coming generations, urging them to make the most of the experiences of the older generation. The conference also proposed a system for transferring power as well as encouraging the family companies to prepare their family constitution to ensure their continuity and growth over generations, and taking care of their competent and experienced staff from outside the family and earn their loyalty to the family companies. The participants stressed the importance of paying attention

to scientific research and work on issuing legislations to assist them in the inheritance of power over generations to secure the continuity of the family companies’ performance. For two days, the participants discussed many essential issues related to development of the family-owned companies, like making governmental institutions supporting their operation, the inter-generational aspect of founding and developing companies, and the trends of the new generation’s ambitions and challenges.

Ten conference papers were presented in the session by Arab and Yemeni experts. Dr. Rashad Al-Rassas had opened the activities of the conference on behalf of the Prime Minister, and gave a speech on his behalf as well. He said that the transformation that has occurred to familyowned companies recently is a necessary precursor to Yemen’s anticipated transformation when it joins the World Trade Organization. Continued on ( 10 )

Continued from ( 1 ) Yemen tensions ‘a threat to Gulf’ warned that since assuming power of what was the Yemen Arab Republic in 1978, Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh had showed a propensity for ruthlessness and manipulation. “He has made sure that there are no alternative leaders in the wings or contenders for power and has drawn leverage from his critics’ acknowledgement that dissension around the leadership would benefit only those who favour an even weaker centre of power. “All the time however, the state itself is coming under increasing pressure and is at risk of crumbling. “Diminish-ing natural resources, especially oil and water, a deteriorating economy and high levels of malnutrition and unemployment would present daunting challenges for any government, let alone one with

Continued from ( 1 ) Yemen tensions ‘a threat to Gulf’ Under a Saudi request to the United States, Riyad would receive more than 170 attack and utility helicopters. The request included about 100 AH-64D Apache Longbow attack helicopters and a stripped-down variant, Little Bird, as well as the S-70 utility helicopter. Apache and Little Bird have been produced by Boeing, with

Family-Owned Companies in Yemen: Inter-generational Difficulties

The Price of Education

Fakhri al-Arashi Publisher & Chief Editor

Sunday, Oct 03, 2010 Issue 16 www.nationalyemen.com

such limited capacity in a state with a weak centre and tough geography. “But the attention of Saleh and his regime is, as ever, fixed resolutely on tactical fire-fighting, and in particular, against the resurgence of Al Qaeda.” Mr Crawford pointed to the amalgamation of Saudi and Yemeni terrorists to form an Al Qaeda network in the Arabian Peninsula, which became evident early last year. “In February 2009, the Yemeni government released 176 Al Qaeda suspects on condition of good behaviour, suggesting continuing regime ambivalence towards the organisation and a readiness to reach tactical accommodations with it,” he said. “It is this Al Qaeda threat that Saleh’s regime is currently using to obtain military and

counter-terrorist assistance and also development aid from the US, Europe and Saudi Arabia. “The problem from the international community’s point of view, however, is the mistrust between it and the Saleh regime, which is seen to prioritise the threat from Al Huthi rebels in the north and the so-called Southern Movement.” Mr Crawford went on to predict that this mistrust between the Yemeni government and the international community would also affect the country’s dire social and economic outlook. Using statistics from widely available publications, the former Bahrain resident revealed that the population of Yemen, located around 800 miles from Manama, now stands at 23 million, but is expected to double in the next 25 years. Almost half its citizens are

under the age of 15, while seven million of them are living on the breadline. Estimated unemployment and illiteracy rates of 40-50 per cent go alongside an inflation rate of around 27pc. Perhaps most worrying figures, however, are that sales of oil, which currently count for 75pc of government revenue, will drop to zero pc by 2017, with Sanaa also expected to become the world’s first capital city to run out of water. “The threat of the state of Yemen collapsing is a very real one and there is a responsibility on the Gulf states to make sure it doesn’t happen,” said Mr Crawford. “In terms of how best to do this however, there is still no sign of any solutions.”

Yemen Comes First in West Asia Tennis Tournament

the S-70 manufactured by Sikorsky Aircraft. The sources said Washington would equip the helicopters with advanced air-to-ground munitions, reconnaissance and electronic warfare systems. They said this would allow Saudi helicopter pilots to fly low to the ground in search of Yemeni insurgents.

Saudi Arabia has also sought to purchase unmanned aerial vehicles from the United States, including the advanced Predator combat platform. The sources said Washington agreed to reconnaissance platforms but not UAVs that could fire rockets.

Yemeni’s national sporting status was further bolstered by its recent achievements in the West Asia Tennis Tournament, which has been held in Syria for the past fortnight. The team not only snatched gold for the singles tournaments, but also won the doubles tournament too. Yemeni tennis star Ghassan Al-Ansi, along with his colleague Sameer Sanad, got a gold medal in the

doubles tournament after a gripping match with the host Syrian team, which consisted of his long-term rival, Kareem Alaf, and his colleague Mohammed Azhari. The closing result was a comfortable 6-2/64. In the girls’ doubles Shaima’a Al-Olofi and AyatTaher earned a respectable silver medal, after their loss to the Jordanian sisters Anna and Qa-

tari Ula, in the tournament finals 5-7/4-6, in a well-played match. With these results, Yemen came first in the West Asia Tennis Tournament. This tournament represented a qualifying tournament for the Asia Tennis Tournament, which will be held in Malaysia in January 2011.

Islah Society Moves IDP Camp By Mosa Al-Nimrani Nine months since the AlJa’ashen people have been displaced from the capital Sana’a, the Islah Social and Charitable Society ordered them to move to another place other than where they set up their tent, which was in front of the mosque of the new campus of Sana’a University. The displaced people said that the Islah Society asked them to leave so that it could expand the mosque grounds,

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whilst a source in the Society said that it had nothing to do with the removal of the camp – an order which, he said, had come from the mosque board. No members of the mosque board were available to comment. Tawakol Karman, Member of the Islah Shura Council and Chairperson of the Journalists without Chains Organization, denounced what happened, considering it a scandal for Mus-

Fakhri Hassan Al-Arashi Publisher & Chief Editor

lims universally, as well as for Muslim charities in Yemen. She, instead, advised the internally displaced people (IDP) to move to the Society’s nearby grounds. Karman, speaking to the IDPs, said “Thanks to the house of Allah which has given you shelter for eight months. Today, you’ll move to the yard of the Islah Society, which, Insha’ Allah, will provide protection for you.”

Mohammed Al-Asaadi Editorial Consultant

Mansoor Al-Rdaei News Editor

Lawyer, Khaled Al-Aanesi, Executive Director of the Hood organization, said that “what happened is beyond imagination. The mosques and worship places are a refuge for the weak and oppressed, for people like these.” “If they cannot find shelter in mosques, how can we talk about the values of solidarity, supporting the oppressed, protecting the weak as well as other values which we preach that they come

Fuad Al-Qadhi Business Editor

from Islam, our religion, while we behave in such a cruel manner in the name of the mosque?” It is worth mentioning that the Al-Ja’ashen displaced people, were forced to leave their villages in the beginning of this year 2010 to escape the subjugation of Sheikh Mohammed Ahmed Mansour, Member of the Shura Council, whom they accuse of claiming their possessions and properties and giving them to other people, imposing

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large taxes on them, demanding them to deliver Zakah to him instead of the government’s duties office and imprisoning them in his private prisons. Many parliament committees have failed to reach the area to investigate into the matter because Sheikh Mansour banned them from entering. The security agencies apologized for not providing protection for them inside the territory of Sheikh Mansour.

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REPORT

National Yemen

Al-Qaeda’s War Mohammed Al-Qiri

AQ cell captured and charged in Yemen, who later escaped prison in November 2006. The security authorities announced that they had identified the mastermind of the attack on a bus carrying Political Security officers in the capital Sana’a, last Saturday. The authorities announced the names of eight suspects believed to have launched the attack which resulted in the killing and injuring of more than ten officers. Al-Qaeda organization in Yemen had been able to re-organize itself and carry out many operations against government and foreign interests as well as Yemeni citizens. The organization managed to regroup after 23 members escaped from the Political Security prison compound on November 3rd, 2006. They had managed to escape through a 45m long tunnel, which was 5m underground, which they had dug out in less than two months. This date represented a bright moment in AQ history in Yemen, where the organization managed to re-group its cells under a new leadership (after the death of Abu Ali Al-Harithi),

Naser Abdul-Kareem Al-Wohaishi (known as Abu Baseer), to whom many gave their allegiance whilst they were in prison. The new organization expanded from the local to regional level and the most important step was to re-organize at the level of the Arabian Peninsula after the inflow of the organization’s youth from Saudi Arabia and their success in joining the Yemen branch, which later turned into the headquarters for the new regional leadership. The Al-Qaeda organization in Yemen announced that a new regional leadership had been formed for the countries of the Arabian Peninsula under the leadership of Al-Woshaishi / Aba Baseer, as commander of the organization. Al-Woshaishi was shadowed by his deputy, Sa’eed Al-Shari (Ab Sufyan) as a deputy for him, who went back to Saudi Arabia after his being moved from Guantanamo Bay, and then he managed to get out of Saudi Arabia to join his brothers

in AQAP. AQAP also, at this time, announced the appointment of Qasem Al-Raimi, one of those who escaped from the Political Security in November 2006, as the leader of the organization’s military wing. Since then Al-Qaeda launched many operations in Yemen including the targeting of the US Embassy in 2008, and attacks against groups of tourists like that which happened in Marib and Hadramout in 2007, and then ambush of the British Ambassador’s convoy earlier this year. In June this year Al-Qaeda targeted Political Security’s HQ, an attack which resulted in the killing of seven security personnel, including three female employees in the political security, in addition to 12 soldiers. The assault against the Political Security headquarters suggests that the attack was premeditated and planned, and that the perpetrators had accurate information about the positions of the security patrols. Analysis

shows that they had even known that the guards did not have sufficient ammunition to sustain a prolonged confrontation. They also had a map on the entrance and exits of the headquarters. The perpetrators continued to storm the intelligence offices for more than one hour without being touched or fired at by security personnel. They were able to free ten Al-Qaeda elements and make good their escape, shouting “Allahu Akbar” and making signs of victory. The month after, on 14th July this year, Al-Qaeda launched an attack on the Political Security office in Abyan. Whilst the number of victims from the political security was not revealed, the authorities announced that two Al-Qaeda members were killed and 7 people were arrested on suspicion of participation in the attack. The government has also been launching a solid counteroffensive. On the 17th December 2009, the military forces launched air raids on suspected AQAP positions in Arhab, north of Sana’a, and in the Al-Mahjanah AlMahfad region in Abyan, south of Sana’a. These attacks unfortunately resulted in severe collateral damage, with the killing of around fifty women, children and elderly persons. Al-Qaeda admitted that a number of its elements were killed as a result of the raids, but it is not known whether they were from Shabwah or Arhab. A month later, on 15th January this year, the Yemeni government again launched an aerial assaults on AQAP positions in the governorate of Al-Jawf, and in a region called Al-Yatmah, in the east. According to official news, the attack resulted in the killing

of Qasem Al-Raimi, the leader of the military wing of AQAP, in addition to other three members: Aayedh Al-Shabwani, Saleh Al-Tis and Ammar AlWa’ili. Al-Qaeda, however, have denied any losses on its part. In May this year, a pilotless aircraft targeting Aayedh AlShabwani, instead hit Jaber AlShabwani, the Chairman of the Local Council in Marib Province in addition to four of his escorts. He was at the time going to negotiate with Al-Qaeda elements to give themselves in. One of the Al-Qaeda members (known as Bin Jamil), who was talking with him at the time, survived the attack. In August, however, the Yemeni security authorities announced a spate of AQAP members turning themselves in. An AQAP leader, Ali Hussein AlTis, from Sa’ada, gave himself up to the security authorities. The authorities also announced that Hizam Mujalli, an Al-Qaeda leader in Arhab, and one of the escapees from the Political Security prison gave himself up to the security authorities. Jum’aan Safyan, a leader from the Al-Qaeda cell in AlJawf, gave himself in, as did Ghaleb Al-Zaidi, a cell leader in Marib, gave himself up to the local authorities. At the beginning of September, the security authorities announced that two of Al-Qaeda elements in Lawdar, Abyan, were held; one of them is called Salah Al-Domani. Anwar Naser Al-Awlaqi from Al-Awaleq, Shabwah has not been announced until now that he was one of Al-Qaeda elements, although has recently been in the spotlight for his possible coordination with the infamous ‘Christmas Day Bomber’.

Al-Awlaqi was born in New Mexico (US) in 1971, and returned to Yemen at the age of seven, studying in the Azal School in Sana’a. Notably he was one of the first top secondary school students in 1989, and after that he travelled to the US for university and postgraduate education. During his study in the US, he was a mosque preacher. Three of those who carried out the 11 September attacks are said to have frequented that mosque. In 2003 he returned to Yemen, and subsequently travelled to South-East Asia, but was jailed in Japan between 2006 and 2009. He then returned to Yemen, where he purportedly met with the Nigerian Arabic student, Omar Farooq Al-Mutallab, who tried to blow up the US plane on Christmas day, 2009. AQAP appears now to be concentrating its presence in the eastern regions of the country, making use of the vast desert and mountainous areas, under tribal influences which limit the power of state security forces. However, whilst Hadramout, Shabwah, Marib, Al-Jawf and Sa’ada constitute large areas for Al-Qaeda to move freely and undergo activites undisturbed, its elements are reported to come from different provinces of Yemen. A recent study which analysed AQAP estimated that roughly 56% of the organization’s make up were Yemenis, whilst Saudis constitute 37%, and foreigners around 7%. The study also mentioned that the Yemeni Al-Qaeda members from northern governorates are equal in number to those who come from the south.

trine, and opposed their presence in Al-Hoatah. A local in Al-Hoatah, AbdulWahed Bin Mansour, was shot by Al-Qaeda after citizens were warned not to leave their houses after military operations had begun. He affirmed that Al-Mihdhar was not killed by Al-Qaeda forces, but by the army, by mistake. He later died from his injuries a few days ago in a hospital in Sana’a. Mansour spoke about how Al-Hoatah and its people were surprised by the arrival of 26 military convoy trucks which stormed Al-Hoatah without a warning. Provincial officials stated that the purpose of the convoy was to apprehend eight people for arson to Al-Farooq School. The leader of the security convoy asked Sheikh Abdullah Al-Mihdhar to hand over the eight charged, but the situation was soon exacerbated to reach the point of exchanging fire between the security men and the armed men of Sheikh Al-Mihdhar. Al-Mihdhar was later was notified that he was wanted by the security forces and asked to give himself up. However things accelerated when the security forces surrounded the

house of Al-Mihdhar where he took cover. During the firefight, late in the afternoon, after forces ordered women and children to vacate the house, one of Al-Mihdhar’s wives left the house and informed the security after and left him alone after announcing that her husband was seriously hurt with a foot injury. The exchange of fire resumed shortly afterwards Then, six hours after AlMaghreb [dusk] security forces decided to storm the house, but found nothing but a dead body, with its limbs and entrails spread all over the room where he was killed. The remains were so badly mangled that soldiers had to have his body identified by relatives to confirm that it was his. The scene was horrific, some eye-witnesses: one of his hands was hanging over the window and one of his legs was found by the door. That day, two of his brothers (Omer and Abdul-Bari) had strongly denounced any the idea that their brother Al-Mihdhar had AQ ties, and countered that it was a false and unfounded accusation, deployed to justify the unnecessary consequence of escalated events.

Sheikh Al-Mihdhar’s Rise And Fall Saleh Maqlam The War on Al-Qaeda in Shabwah: Facts of The Existence and the Mysterious Death of Sheikh Abdullah Al-Mihdhar The real war on the city of Al-Hoatah in Myafa’ah directorate, 100 km southeast of Ataq – capital of Shabwah province, started on the 21st September. The town witnessed intensive air strikes by military aircraft, and lasted until Wednesday dawn. Most of those raids targeted the region of Shao’b Ba Marsa’ah, one of the Al-Hoatah districts. Local sources pointed out that this region is considered an important stronghold of Al-Qaeda elements. In the same air raid, the military aircrafts also struck the peripheries of Al-Hoatah city, leading to the destruction of the house of a local citizen Mohammed Al-Qarboo’ in the neighborhood of Al-Kharamah in AlHoatah. The twenty-five AQ members were held in the house, before the airstrike. The house owner, according to the sources, belongs to the family of the socalled Abdullah Al-Mihdhar who was killed by security forces mid-January this year after being accused of having links with Al-Qaeda in Yemen.

Abdullah Ahmed Al-Mihdhar (born in Al-Hoatah, 1969) and grew up in Al-Hoatah and then in Saudi Arabia. He returned to Yemen fighting for the Unity, during the 1994 war. After which, he was unanimously chosen by the sheikhs and dignitaries of Al Al-Faqih Ali to become a Sheikh. Informed sources said that the recent assault on Al-Hoatah came as a night air strike, with aircraft coming from the Indian ocean – from the direction of the Balhaf coast, which is located 200 km to the south of the capital of the province. Local sources also said that the residents of the Al-Hoatah had witnessed the group undergoing physical activities and training, which included possession of light weapons and explosives. Nevertheless, they pretended to turn a blind eye and not to raise the alarm out of fear of the violent repercussions a confrontation with the group would entail. Al-Hoatah is regarded as a center for education and trade, and its people are generally known to be peaceful and civilized. One of the people from AlHoatah, who requested ano-

nymity, was a member of the Al-Faqih Ali family, to which Abdullah Al-Mihdhar belongs. He said that the fighters in the Al-Hoatah city belong to AlQaeda in Yemen, but strongly denied that any of his family members were embroiled with the Al-Qaeda group. He added that Sheikh Hussein Ba Hanhan, who replaced the late Sheikh Abdullah Al-Mihdhar, had previously spoke against the Al-Qaeda group and warned them from staying in Al-Hoatah, but the group didn’t heed his remarks. Sheikh Hussein Ali Ba Hanhan was born in Al-Hoatah in

1955, and studied there in AlHoatah Qu’ranic school. He was educated by Sheikh AbdulAziz Omer Bin Hisyah and later immigrated to Ha’el City, Saudi Arabia in 1970. Ever since, he has straddled between the two locations. The Al-Faqih Ali family source added that the Al-Qaeda group had appointed another sheikh instead of Ba Hanhan, known as “Al-Mo’allem” [“The Teacher”], who is wanted by the authorities as one of the Al-Qaeda elements in Al-Hoatah. They appointed “The Teacher” because Sheikh Ba Hanhan refused their ideology and doc-

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TRAVEL

Sunday, Oct 03, 2010 Issue 16 www.nationalyemen.com

Dolphins in Hadramaut Every so often, for those of us bound in Sana’a, we should occasionally ‘come up for air’. Going down to the sea, to Mukalla, is about a good a place as any. Last week I had an interview to do down there, but decided to take an extra day out of my schedule to unwind and recharge. By Will Carter Regular flights operate the hour-long trip to Riyan-Mukalla airport, which lies surprisingly far (20 minutes) from Mukalla itself. I bee-lined straight to the interview and finished up sometime around noon, and so headed straight to the hotel. The hotel I stayed in, the Hadramaut Hotel, fell on the near side of Mukalla from the airport, and was far enough away from the city centre for me to get a decent night’s sleep. A rusting sign, showing two dolphins, marked the hotel entrance. It was a slightly ageing structure from the outside, but seemed quite agreeable from within. Most importantly, however, it had a superb ocean view. The staff were pleasant and mercifully non-bothersome. The check-in was painless. Where my Arabic failed they spoke English well. I showered off in my room, and went downstairs to the outdoor section of the hotel’s ‘Shibam Restaurant’, which looked across the sea to Mukalla. The menu wasn’t fussy, and was well-priced. I thought I’d save a big fish supper for dinner, and so instead opted for a simple classic, Spaghetti Bolognese, which was surprisingly good.

‘‘

The manager made a quick call... a couple of minutes later I watched a boat speeding from the harbour to the hotel jetty pier, which was down a flight of stairs from where I was sipping tea. It was early afternoon, and the sun was burning, or bronzing – dependent on your skin complexion. The waitress squinted as she brought out my lunch, “I don’t know how you can stand this heat.” I grinned and took my lunch. I should confess that it was a very lazy afternoon that followed, and consisted of me basking in the sun, rhythmically turning the pages of my book. The rhythm was only broken by me occasionally stretching, or getting distracted by a passing fishing boat, curiously peering at its catch. I called a local acquaintance as the sun went a fiery orange colour, and I was picked up by motorbike. We caught up over a quick fruit cocktail in a juice bar on the seafront, and on a walk through the older part of Mukalla. A panicked hotel receptionist phoned me a little later that night whilst I was still in the city, and said that the tourism police insisted on me having protection. Figuring that in such events it’s just easier to ‘roll with it’, I acquiesced, if only out of bemusement.

A tourist policeman in a bright blue shirt greeted my friend and I (my acquaintance didn’t seem perturbed by such things). He beckoned over a police wagon in which three other tourism police officers, and an armed chap from Yemen’s CSF (Central Security Forces) sat glumly in the back. They accompanied us for the rest of the evening. We subsequently spent an hour or so in the sheesha cafes on the cornice front, and had dinner in one of the bigger restaurants, Al-Safina [The Ship]. When we emerged from The Ship the glum CSF soldier in the back had multiplied into a small detachment, complete with a vehicle-mounted machine gun. “I didn’t know it was so dangerous in Mukalla” I prompted. “It isn’t” the gruff leader replied. “So why do I need five armed escorts and a machine gun?” “For your protection” “Oh” I guess I’d made my point, but it was time to make my goodbyes to my local friend, and took a taxi back to the hotel. The reception staff seemed embarrassed, and were overly apologetic about my armed escort. I told them not to worry about it. The guards also asked me of my plans tomorrow. I told them, truthfully, I hadn’t decided – but I didn’t imagine I would be going anywhere before ten. I turned on the aircon, and the TV, and collapsed on my bed. I arose leisurely late morning, and went down to get my breakfast on the terrace again. The hotel manager found me breakfasting, and apologised again. He mentioned that the CSF truck was already waiting outside the hotel. I said that I was in no rush. Before he left I enquired about the hotel dive centre (one of very few dive centres in Yemen), but was reminded that I wouldn’t be able to fly if I dived this morning. I thought for a moment, and asked him about hiring a boat for the morning. The manager made a quick call. I asked if the soldiers would follow me to sea too. The manager laughed, and suggested I go diving. A couple of minutes later I watched a boat speeding from the harbour to the hotel jetty pier, which was down a flight of stairs from where I was sipping tea. A few words with the helmsman, and I tumbled into the boat as it cruised off. I waved goodbye from the boat to the gaggle of uniforms. Only one of them returned my wave. I plugged my iPod in, and thought about opening my book, but was content staring to sea and watching the landscape fly past, as the vessel cut down the coastline. Past the nearby Mercure hotel I spotted a long row of uniform, circular beach villas lined up against the shore. Coming from one end of the line the first villa only had a couple of walls and its concrete foundation. A

few villas later and it had more walls, and then part of the roof, then the whole roof, then windows, then paint, then furniture. It was as if the villa development project was slowly constructing itself.

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... I spotted a long row of uniform, circular beach villas lined up against the shore ... the first villa only had a couple of walls and its concrete foundation. A few villas later and it had more walls, and then part of the roof, then the whole roof, then windows, then paint, then furniture. It was as if the villa development project was slowly constructing itself. The last villa ended with a satellite dish being placed on the very top of the green conical roof, a bit like someone placing the cherry on top of a cupcake, as its final touch. We skimmed further out to shore. I was momentarily lost in my thoughts and my music whilst gazing at the water. Something was moving in the water, but it didn’t immediately register. I was looking at, but wasn’t seeing, the pod of dolphins surface in front of me. The first time I’d seen dolphins in the wild. They were a stunning, if cliché, sight. Later, we eventually turned back. Back to the coast, back along the shore, back past the row of villas – this time they were dissembling themselves, back past the Mercure, back to the jetty where I breakfasted. I showered and changed and packed and checked out. The CSF detachment was patiently waiting for me in the lobby. I hadn’t arranged a taxi to the airport, and so was relying on hailing one down outside to catch my flight, but I wasn’t very lucky. I asked if I could hitch a lift with my CSF protection team to the airport in lieu of me not finding a taxi, considering they’d be going that way anyway. Their precise response wasn’t worth remembering. Eventually they stopped a car – it didn’t matter that it wasn’t a taxi – and told the driver to take me to the airport. We left the hotel, passing out of the gates with the rusting dolphins, and zoomed off in what felt like a police car chase – I was in the getaway car and the armed ‘protection’ detachment were in hot pursuit, all the way back to the airport. Looking back towards the rusting dolphins I vowed, to revisit the scene of the crime.

‘‘ I was looking at, but wasn’t seeing, the pod of dolphins surface in front of me. The first time I’d seen dolphins in the wild. They were a stunning, if cliché, sight.

• Hadramout Hotel offers a double for $65, and a triple for $75. • Rooms have A/C, en suite bathrooms (with baths) and satellite • Has a swimming pool, (modest) fitness centre, restaurant and dive centre. • 05-302060 / www.hadramothtl.com.ye

• Dive centre loans equipment and can refresh qualified divers, but not instruct (it can arrange for an instructor if notified in advance). • There are 12 dive sites (excluding the house reef) in the vicinity, including a wreck dive. • Equipment hire is $25, and dives cost about $35 • 777 953 153 / baashn@hotmail.com

Sunday, Oct 03, 2010 Issue 16 www.nationalyemen.com

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Sunday, Oct 03, 2010 Issue 16 www.nationalyemen.com

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SPORT

Sunday, Oct 03, 2010 Issue 16 www.nationalyemen.com

Fencing Team Enters Arab Tournament NY Staff Yesterday morning the Yemeni junior fencing team left for the Lebanese capital, Beirut, in order to participate in the competitions of the 17th Arab Tournament. The team is entered into the two categories, children and juniors The tournament will be hosted by Beirut from tomorrow, across the period of 4th to 11th October. Five players represent our national team across both categories, and they were selected according to their ceding in local tournaments, after they undertook intensive training in Sana’a, since the second day of the Eid, under the leadership of the Algerian expert and coach Mr. Zubair Abdul-Salam. The team’s delegation is

composed of the following: Bassam Bishr, Secretary General of the Federation and head of the delegation (who arrives in Beirut today), Sameer Badi, the ‘armourer’ (technical supervisor of the fencing blades and electronic equipment), Idari Zubair Abdul-Salam, the team coach, and Mohammed Al-Bahri the coordinator and media officer. The players include Zaid Shabjah, Muhannad Ahmed Oudhah, Abdul-Wahab Dahesh, Mohammed Dahesh, and Mohammed Al-Salemi. In a statement, Sheikh Hussein Al-Shareef the Yemeni Fencing Federation chairman, said that he entered his post with the express intention of improving it to international

standards. He continued, saying that the coming participation will, “in sha Allah, be a true beginning for our international achievements and significant accreditation of our progress and the efforts exerted by all the members of the federation for both our progression and achievements.” Al-Shareef also said that the federation had formerly suffered from the lack of a fulltime coach to coach the players. “We have therefore contracted the Algerian expert and Coach Zubair Abdul-Salam who arrived a while ago and started supervising, preparing, and qualifying the players to participate in Arab tournaments and acquire experience in order to take this game, which has

long since suffered, to a higher level.” Al-Shareef concluded saying that the team has received strong preparatory training, especially after a strong focus on

the technical skills required of the sport, and also as their spirits are raised, as this is their first competition. He wished that the players will reproduce the sportsman-

ship and quality shown in their preparatory training, and demonstrate strong performances in the competition to secure tournament medals and trophies.

Youth Football Match: Yemen vs. Australia NY Staff Next Tuesday, our national youth football team initiates its participation in the Asia Youth Finals, which will be held during the 3rd and 7th October, and will be hosted in Zhibu city, China. The team will play against a strong Australian counterpart, which is nominated for the championship, in its first match of the fourth group including the two teams of Iran and South Korea. This group is deemed to be one of the strongest, and has been dubbed “the Iron Group”. The delegation of our national team has held a preparatory camp in the industrial city of Chengdu, in south central China, which was programmed to have intense training as well as to provide an opportunity for the team to acclimatize. During the camp, which lasted for ten days, our team

played two friendly matches, of which the first match ended in a nil-nil draw with the Chinese team Kieda Tianjin, the runner-up of the Chinese friendly tournament. Despite our team’s domination of the match, its attacks did not constitute any threat to the Tiangjin Kieda team due to the fact the team was down to only one striker, Salem AlMawza’ee, who found it difficult to score between three Chinese defenders, and so the match ended with a draw without goals. In its second friendly match, our national team for youth lost to the Saudi national team in a match held on the same field. The 2 – 0 result tempered peoples’ moods, before heading to the Chinese city of Zibo for participation in the Asia Finals.

The fixtures of our national youth football team in the Asia Youth Finals are: Yemen vs. Australia – Tuesday October 4 Yemen vs. South Korea – October 6 Yemen vs. Iran – October 8.

Yemen, Sudan Compete For Algerian Football Coach NY Staff As soon as the Algerian Team Coach Rabeh Sa’adan presented his resignation from training the team of his country following a negative draw versus the Tanzanian team, Sudan rushed to officially negotiate with Sa’adan. Yemen began negotiation with him as well, but in secret. The leaderships of Yemen Football Association (YFA) de-

nied what the Yemeni and Algerian media say about the return of Coach Sa’adan to train the Yemeni team for the second time. National Yemen newspaper published a statement for sources close to the Algerian coach, two months ago, who talked of Sa’adan’s desire to return to Yemen. Once again, the sources af-

firmed that YFA has formally communicated with Sa’adan who is thinking seriously about accepting the Yemeni request to the Sudanese, despite the privileges Sudan has offered to him and the high level of the Sudanese players. The news were confirmed by the statements of the second vice-chairman of the YFA, Captain Jamal Hamdi who said

that the YFA has communicated with its Algerian counterpart in regards to bringing over Sa’adan to Yemen to coach the Yemeni team, instead of the Croatian Coach Uri Stretchco. The General Secretary of the YFA, Dr. Hamid Al-Shaibani, is reported to have recently made complaints over the inability of the Croatian coach to train the Yemeni national team.

BUSINESS

Sunday, Oct 03, 2010 Issue 16 www.nationalyemen.com

National Yemen

Government Briefs New Five Year Plan By Fuad Al-Qadhi The Yemeni government briefed donors last Wednesday on the progress of working on the preparation for the 4th FiveYear Plan for Development and Alleviation of Poverty 2011 – 2015, in a work session presided by the Vice Prime Minister for Economic Affairs and Minister of Planning and International Cooperation, Mr. AbdulKareem Ismael Al-Arhabi. The Ministry of Planning gave presentations including the components and framework of the plan, the sector and local plans, the reform trends within the plan, and the efficiency of support. Dr. Mutahar Al-Abbasi, Ministry Undersecretary for the Development Plans Sector, gave a detailed presentation on the general trends for the upcoming projects, which are focus on catalyzing overall economic growth, expanding social security and making tangible progress in achieving the millennium goals. Al-Abbasi added that the general themes of the plan will focus on diversifying productivity for the national economy, enhancing security and political stability, deepening financial sustainability, and boosting opportunities for merging with the Gulf Cooperation Council as well as expanding cooperation with partners. Dr. Mohammed Al-Hawiri, Undersecretary for Economic Projections, gave a detailed explanation on the systematic method which realized the goals outlined in the preparatory plan, which had been adopted from the World Bank Al-Hawiri said that preparation of the plan happened through a joint committee of the Ministry of Finance, the Central Bank, the Ministry of Oil and the Central Statistical Organization (CSO). It also included consultation workshops with the private sector and civil soci-

ety organizations at national and local levels. He pointed out that the overall framework of the plan includes four components represented in the overall evaluation of the performance of the third development plan 2006 – 2010: the development challenges; overall economic trends; pivots, and; objectives and policies. Al-Hawiri said that the upcoming plan is facing ten challenges, of which six are related to structuring, which are: high population growth, which amounts to 3%, the population dispersal, amounting to more than 130 thousand villages and population congregation; the lack of infrastructure; basic limited services; weak development of human resources; the worsening of the financial and environmental crisis; prevalent weak institutional and administrative structure; the limited financing resources, as well as the weakness of the current banking system. Al-Hawiri also said that the emergency development chal-

lenges include: shortage of food security, the foreign economic and financial impacts, the climate changes and the security imbalances. He said that the plan underpinned three general trends including catalyzing the overall economic growth via developing manufacturing sectors, decreasing dependence on oil and gas, expanding the social security and making palpable progress in realizing the millennium goals. He stressed that these trends will focus on diversifying the basis of productivity for the national economy, enhancing political security and stability, deepening the overall reforms, boosting the merge with the Gulf Cooperation Council, expanding the network of social security, expanding cooperation with the partners of development, boosting the local balanced development, achieving financial sustainability as well as developing human resources. Al-Hawiri said that the government has modeled many sce-

narios, with low, moderate and high likelihoods, in order to develop the plan. The plan will adopt the moderate scenario as it is the most acceptable and it combines reality and ambition. This scenario is based on ambition but realistic assumptions and reflects the government seriousness in making overall reforms. He said the main indices of the moderate scenario targets achieving the real GDP 5.2 as well as achieving a growth rate of income per capita 2.2 reaching an inflation rate of 8.5%. The plan anticipated that the quantity of oil will decline from 100 million barrels in 2010 to 72 million barrels by the end of 2015. Al-Hawiri pointed out that the plan will generally focus on the policies of the government returns, the implementation process of the law of sales tax, the continuation of simplifying the customs procedures, decreasing the levels of government support for energy via covering the budget deficit from

sectors which are non-inflation and other procedures related to the financial, monetary and banking policies. Mr. Nabil Shaiban, Chairman of the Foreign Aids Unit in the ministry, gave a detailed explanation on the strategic goals of the plan which aims to enhance the capacity of state institutions, raising competency and efficiency of the administrative system, enhancing the principle of transparency and accountability, reinforcing the sovereignty of the law, broadening of the opportunities of the political, economic and social partnership, expanding the fields of development cooperation with the partners of development, providing a suitable environment for realizing the overall stability in addition to providing a suitable climate for investment. He said that this strategy will be implemented via reform of the civil service, reinforcing accountability, continuation of the economic and financial reforms, developing the investment envi-

the family-owned company with the prospects of down-sizing companies and developing their portfolios into major companies, whether by strategic alliances or cooperative work. He also stressed the need to lay a strategic, organizational framework to move on to distinguishing between the family, business, and possessions, and

moving on to the successful leadership of coming generations. He announced establishment of a permanent work unit to analyze and track the activities of the family-owned companies in Yemen in the General Union of the Trade and Industrial Chambers. He also recommended estab-

ronment, reinforcing the independence of the Judiciary and sovereignty of the law, rights and freedoms as well as expanding the political partnership. The government gave an evaluative presentation on the extent of implementation of the third (previous) Five-Year Plan in the human and production development sectors including agriculture, fishery and electricity where the government said it had achieved progress but not up to the required level. Therefore, the fourth plan will restructure certain sectors like electricity, consolidate the service infrastructure in the fish sector, and encourage the local fish investment. In the agriculture sector it will work on narrowing the agriculture gap, and in the education sector, it will focus during the coming period on encouraging basic education and providing equal opportunities for both the rural and urban areas, and enhance the provision and delivery of vocational training, in a manner that fits the current labor market. Mr. Abdul-Kareem Al-Arhabi, Vice Prime Minister for the Economic Affairs and Minister of Planning and International Cooperation, gave a speech demonstrating the difficulties that faced the process of preparation of the plan. He said that until now, five provinces have not submitted their development plans to the ministry. Also, one of the ministries has not submitted its plan until now. Al-Arhabi said that the perhaps the most pressing challenge was the severe demand for better infrastructure. He said, “We are determined to coordinate between the plans and the policies in a manner that enables us to efficiently realize our goals.”

Continued from ( 3 ) Family-Owned Companies in Yemen: Inter-generational Difficulties He praised the positive role made by the family-owned companies in the Yemeni economy in various fields, and pointed out the need for the conference to come up with the best formulas to make institutional transformations in such companies and overcome difficulties, like the absence of separation between the possession and management, the lack to an efficient mechanism to hand down experience to inheriting generations, as well as the increasing cases of multi-party inheritancerelated disputes. Mr. Ahmed Ba Zara’ah, Chairman of the Yemen Businessmen’s Club, discussed the closure of a number of family companies and trade entities due to the absence of the founder in disputes, or due to disputes that led to the end of those companies or their dismantling into smaller entities. He called on family-owned companies to make haste in arranging their conditions and structuring of their institutions, and to separate possessions from management in order to avoid such debilitating disputes. He referred to the efforts of the Yemen Businessmen Club efforts in reinforcing the principles of making governmental

guidelines for companies which adopted new methods in management and structure for its boards to get out of the financial crisis with the least losses. Mr. Mohammed Abdu Sa’eed, Chairman of the General Union of the Trade Chambers for Industry, spoke about the challenges facing family-owned companies like the weakness of

the organizational structuring, absence of institutional capacity, the lack of experience in dealing with the international markets, a lack of clear vision in preparing of the future leaders for family-owned companies and the usual rough transition between generations. He called on going beyond the culture of management of

lishing a partnership fund among the family-owned companies to finance local and international research and consultancy that would help develop those companies and establish of a local center for the preparation of future leaders of familyowned companies.

National Yemen

TOURISM

Sunday, Oct 03, 2010 Issue 16 www.nationalyemen.com

Yemen Will Host 2011 World Tourism Day By Jihan Anwar The United Nation World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has, ever since 1980, chosen the 27th September as the World Tourism Day, and next year it has selected Yemen to host the global event. The occasion has a different theme every year. Thirty World Tourism Days have been celebrated in different continents and countries so far, from among them: Qatar in 2005; Ghana in 2009 while this year, 2010, is being hosted in Guangzhou, China. “The next WTD [2011] will be hosted in Yemen and the theme will be ‘Linking Cultures’”, said Shirin El Tayan Tayan to the National Yemen, a board member of the UNWTO Secretariat. At the official ceremony held at the Sheraton Hotel, Yemeni Minister of Tourism, Nabil Al Fakeh, stressed the importance of improving and investing in this sector, which, if properly managed, could help alleviate poverty in Yemen, particularly in rural areas. The theme for this year’s celebration in China is ‘Tourism and Biodiversity’. Taleb Al Rifaee, UNWTO General Secretary, said at the ceremony in Guangzhou that the modern technologies which the country progresses have been endangering the fragile balance of the environment. He further highlighted the mutually dependent relation between the two, restating our shared safeguarding responsibilities.

The bio-diversity protection has intrinsic importance with economy boosting, especially in a country like Yemen, rich and diversified in its cultural and natural world but that hasn’t yet realised its tremendous tourism prospects. In Yemen UNESCO has nominated three World Heritage sites -Sana’a old city, Shibam (in Hadramout) and the entire Socotran archipelago. Abdultalib Salah, from the Tourism Ministry spoke about the role of the tourism industry in Yemen and its job creation and employment. Ifrah Abu Ghanim, from the Environment Protection Authority, expressed her concern about the under evaluation of the environment potential in Yemen and the necessity to upgrade third sector facilities to support the international as well as the regional tourism. A policy of the UNWTO is to promote several areas that directly and indirectly relate to tourism. During the celebrations, winning competitors in the photography, story-writing and visual arts among others were also selected. Foreign companies working in Yemen were rewarded, among them: Maurizio Pazzelli - Yemen Island, Tina Zorman Internal Yemen; Beatrice De Filippis- Al Ma’moon and Fethullah Karakoc- Al Safaa. Captain Maurizio Pazzelli, owner of the Boreas of Khatarina ship which organizes cruises in the Mediterranean and Red

Sea, explains that the tourism was very rich before a couple of years, but because of the alarming and unfounded negative information transmitted by the media, there has been a declining in the activity. “The image foreign media portrays makes look visiting Yemen as being more dangerous than Kabul, in Afghanistan”, the Captain commented. In fact a UNWTO survey established that in 2009 the tourism sector declined by 3-4% but

the expectations were that in 2010 there would be an increase of the same amount. It has been estimated that in the year 2009 around 1.2 million people visited Yemen, but over 500,000 of those were Yemenis living abroad. Most of the international tourists, however were from gulf countries, while Europeans (making 10%) formed the second major international community of visitors. It might be true that negative

international publicity affects the tourism business, but there are other reasons if the tourism sector is sparsely populated, even before the terrorism paranoia. The hotels and tourist accommodations standards vary greatly throughout the country. Tourists comment that local people are very friendly and welcoming but often complain that there is a lack of good management and quality service. Hospitality and other voca-

tional training is almost inexistent and not considered in rural areas, and local labourers are rarely employed. There is still a general ignorance about the concept of tourism. Generally people who are not in the sector, both in rural and urban areas, don’t even realize how the arrival of tourists in their regions could improve their livelihoods.

Sunday, Oct 03 , 2010 Issue 16 www.nationalyemen.com

CONGRATULATIONS

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