Yemen relies on donor's conference to overcome crisis

Yemen's Foreign Minister Abu Bakr al-Qirbi affirmed that his country relies heavily on the donors' conference, to be held in Riyadh on June 27 to contribute in helping it overcome the current conditions. The Yemeni Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation is making a final review on the periodical program of stability and development for 2012-2014 in preparation to submit it to the conference, al-Qirbi told press in statement late Sunday at the Yemen and Friends of Yemen discussion with ambassadors and representatives of the member countries in the Group, over the results of the 3rd Ministerial Meeting of the Group, which was held in Riyadh last May. From their part, the ambassadors and representatives of member countries confirmed their effective participation in the donors conference in order to assist Yemen in overcoming the difficult conditions. Friends of Yemen had approved last month in Riyadh a plan to help Yemen worth $4 billion. According to government reports, the country needs around $7 billion to fulfill the funding gap and face the urgent needs following its crisis. Yemen needs around $8 billion out of which $2.6 billion are urgent to support dialogue and elections as well as the humanitarian situation, Mansour Bashiri, Director-General of Economic studies and Forecasts at Yemen's Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation told CNN Arabic. The country has moderate needs including general budget support while support of the local authority requires $5.7 billion to bridge the funding gap over the medium-term, he said referring to the draft plan presented by Yemen in this regard in the previous meeting and due to be submitted in its final form to the donors' conference. The commitments made by a number of countries are expected to be prsented at the donors' conference including $3.25 billion already announced by Saudi Arabia, he remarked expressing his thoughts that there are indeed intentions to fulfill the pledges.