[11/May/2008]

SANA'A, May 11 (Saba) - In cooperation with International Organization for Migration (IOM), Ministry of Expatriates Affairs kicked off on Sunday activities of the Symposium of Opportunities and Challenges in International Migration.

Opening the symposium, Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Abdul-Karim al-Arhabi said shortage of resources in Yemen and huge population growth need opening wide labor markets consumes Yemeni labors.

He indicated that there are indicators for opening wide labor markets to Yemenis in GCC countries, noting that Yemeni-Saudi relations are in their highest level.

"We have to reconsider vocational training in Yemen for fulfilling labor markets' needs in GCC countries," said al-Arhabi, pointing necessity of cooperation between IOE and the ministry for solving emigration issues.

He clarified that the symposium represents promising opportunity for studying the phenomenon of international migration and its effects.

For his part, Minister of Expatriates Affairs Saleh Sumei said that migration has become one source of the national wealth for it represents the most important source of foreign currency.

He indicated that huge investment capacity of migrants, which is estimated at $ 5 billions in Yemen and 33 billions out of Yemen, is waiting for being attracted to the country.

"Yemen's donors must allocate a portion of their development support to migration issues via Yemeni migration strategy that will be created during the three next months," said Sumei who declared that Yemen suffers for being an exporter and transit country to illegal migration to neighboring countries.

For his part IOM's Director in Sana'a reviewed role of the organization in curing migration issues on international level, especially illegal one.

A number of work papers on regional view to international migration, improving of emigration activities and illegal migration have been discussed in the first session of the symposium.

MA/MA