[20 September 2007]

SANA'A, (Saba)- Deputy Premier for Economic Affairs Abdul-Karim al-Arhabi highlighted assistance offered by International Fund For Agricultural Development (IFAD) for efforts of Yemen to realize development in field of agriculture to reduce poverty.

In a workshop over cooperation strategy between Yemen and the fund for the period 2008-2012, al-Arhabi said that Yemen is one of the first world counties that benefited from services and projects of
the fund reaching at total cost approximated to $200 million.

He affirmed concern of the Yemeni government to enhance its ties with the fund, saying that the workshop is a chance to discuss the IFAD strategy in Yemen.

Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation Mansour al-Hawshabi praised role of the fund in supporting agricultural sector in Yemen such as developing project of rainfed agriculture.

"We are looking for the IAFD supported projects to fulfill development goals within the new IFAD strategy," he said, adding that the rainfed agriculture project aims at improving capabilities
of agricultural guidance and supporting agricultural societies.

For her part, director of the Middle East and North Africa in the fund, Mona Bashi, appreciated steps taken by Yemen in sphere of social and economic development. She said that the workshop is
considered the last series of consultations to draw up modern strategy for future cooperation between Yemen and the fund which focuses on helping the Yemeni government to reduce poverty and
improve agricultural sector by encouraging private sector to invest in this field.

AH/AM

Saba