Yemeni PM calls donors to increase aid to Yemen to address obstacles

The Prime Minister called on Wednesday donors to increase their financial and development aid to enable Yemen to overcome the development obstacles, topped by security and development challenges, and to achieve a full political transition. Opening the 2nd technical follow-up meeting of the Donors Conference to Yemen, Mohammed Salem Basindwa underlined Yemen's aspiration to work together with the donor community and development partners to overcome such challenges to become an effectual state in at the regional and international levels. Achieving sustainable economic growth, addressing poverty and eliminating unemployment are the real solutions to Yemen's current crises, he said, adding that will not be realized unless there is a direct, fast and generous support by Yemen's partners. Basindwa urged donors to speed up the allocation of the financial pledges they made in Riyadh and New York meetings in order to begin the implementation of the projects approved by them within the general investment program as well as allotting the funds in accordance with Yemen's development priorities and needs. He talked about the importance of the meeting, which - he said - comes as part of the periodic evaluation to the progress level in absorbing donors' funds to Yemen and implementing the Mutual Accountability Framework (MAF) commitments between Yemen and donors, in addition to preparing for the high-level follow-up meeting to be held in the coming September. He reviewed some of the achievements made by the government, to restore the social, security and economic stability. "Many economic indicators have improved," the Premier said, including national currency stability and increasing foreign reserves, in addition to the reconstruction of many affected areas, unifying the army forces and eliminating al-Qaeda militants and regaining control over Abyan and some districts of Shabwa governorate." He said that some people tried to undervalue the government's success through hindering its work, fabricating problems and encouraging sabotage acts on oil pipelines and power transmission lines, "However, Yemen has passed the hardest stage."