Yemen appreciates GCC development aid

Yemeni Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Dr. Mohammad Al-Saadi on Tuesday spoke highly of the supportive role of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in the economic development and stabilization in his country. "The six GCC member states are the biggest donors for Yemen as shown in the generous pledges made in the international donor conference, held Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on September 4, 2012" he said. The minister made the remarks at the opening session of the 13th meeting of the joint GCC-Yemeni technical commission in the presence of representatives of the development funds in the GCC countries. "The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia contributed USD 3.25 billion out of the total pledges of the donors amounting to USD 6.36 billion," Al-Saadi pointed out. Yemen faces a range of difficulties in appropriating the funds pledged by donors during the Riyadh meeting and the fourth meeting of the Friends of Yemen Conference, held in New York, on September 27, 2012, he noted. The minister complained that some donors turned their aid pledges into loans attached to conditions relating to how to use the funds and appropriate part of them to private companies belonging to the donors. On his part, Ambassador Saad Al-Oreifi, Director General of the GCC Office in Yemen, reaffirmed the commitment of the GCC members to continue helping Yemen to overcome all challenges on the road to economic recovery and stability. "The timing of the 13th meeting of the joint commission shows the GCC keenness on speeding up the disbursement of the financial aid to Yemen," he noted. "The meeting coincides with the gearing up for Yemen's national dialogue, on which the GCC pin high hopes for restoring political and social stability in the country," Al-Oreifi added.