National Day / UAE-Yemen Relations Sana'a, December 3 / WAM / The march of cooperation between the United Arab Emirates and Yemen began early after the establishment of the federation in 1971 as a natural result of the intimate relations between the two brotherly countries and peoples, which had positive outcomes reflected in the level of this cooperation in cultural, developmental, economic, and other fields. The two countries signed their first cultural and educational cooperation agreement at the end of July 1972, and the first development loan was signed in October 1974 to finance the Sana'a water project. This was followed by the signing of numerous agreements, reaching over 64 agreements, protocols, and memoranda of understanding in various fields, most notably the agreement to finance the construction of the historic Marib Dam at the expense of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan – may God have mercy on him – and the paving of the Sana'a-Marib road in the mid-1980s. Additionally, other agreements were made in the field of international maritime transport of passengers and goods, postal cooperation, technical and scientific cooperation in oil, gas, and minerals, cultural and tourism cooperation, and joint investment promotion between the Dubai Economic Development Department and the General Investment Authority of the Republic of Yemen.

The cooperation agreements between the two countries also included the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the General Authority for Ports and the General Investment Authority of the Republic of Yemen, and the Dubai Ports Authority and Jebel Ali Free Zone, as well as the minutes of the third session of the Coordination Council between the Republic of Yemen and the UAE.

In 1995, the two countries decided to take a more positive step to enhance cooperation by forming a joint ministerial committee concerned with developing economic, developmental, investment, trade, and other cooperation relations. During the period from 2001 to 2009, the two countries signed 17 agreements in various fields within the framework of the committee.

His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs, affirmed at the conclusion of the second meeting of the UAE-Yemen Joint Committee held late last year in Abu Dhabi the distinguished historical relations binding the two countries, built on mutual respect and joint cooperation. He pointed out that these relations enjoy the care and attention of the wise leadership in both countries, headed by His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State – may God protect him – and his brother, His Excellency President Ali Abdullah Saleh, President of the Republic of Yemen.

His Highness pointed to the UAE's keenness to support everything that ensures the unity, security, and return of calm and stability in Yemen, wishing the brotherly Yemeni people goodness, progress, prosperity, and the achievement of economic and social development.

His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan also affirmed the interest of both countries in developing economic and investment relations, expressing his hope that the joint committee meetings would contribute to more joint cooperation and open new fields in the course of relations between the two countries.

His Highness said that these meetings enshrine the specificity of the distinguished fraternal relations between the two countries and are an important step in the path of cooperation aimed at developing and strengthening bilateral relations, taking into account the interests of both countries and meeting the requirements of various sectors, especially the development of the Yemeni economy. They constitute a valuable opportunity to explore more investment opportunities, consider increasing the volume of trade exchange, and achieve more common interests in all fields, stressing the importance and role of the private sector in this area.

His Highness expressed hope for the continuation of such meetings to develop and strengthen the common bonds between the two countries, stressing the need to activate and continue the work of the joint committee and to follow up and implement its recommendations as quickly as possible.

For his part, Yemeni Foreign Minister Dr. Abu Bakr Al-Qirbi affirmed his country's keenness to enhance cooperation with the UAE in various fields and increase investments between them.

The committee meetings resulted in the signing of several memoranda of understanding and executive programs, most notably the minutes of the second session of the Joint Committee between the two countries, a memorandum of understanding on establishing a joint cooperation committee between the two foreign ministries, another on political consultations between the two countries, a third between the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development and the Republic of Yemen regarding the utilization of a grant from the UAE government worth 2.583 billion dirhams / 650 million US dollars to contribute to financing development projects in the Republic of Yemen, and a fourth in the field of export development between the Ministry of Foreign Trade of the UAE and the Supreme Council for Export Development in the Republic of Yemen.

The two sides also signed a memorandum of understanding on technical cooperation between the UAE Standards and Metrology Authority and the Yemeni Standards, Metrology and Quality Control Authority, a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in the field of fisheries, another to establish a joint business council for businessmen in both countries, a memorandum of understanding on consumer protection between the UAE Ministry of Economy and the Yemeni Ministry of Industry and Trade, a memorandum of understanding on public works between the two countries, a cooperation protocol in higher education and scientific research, in addition to the cultural executive program between the two countries for the years 2010 to 2014.

UAE-Yemen cooperation was not limited to what the joint committee achieved. The UAE has continued to generously finance many developmental, service, and humanitarian projects in both parts of Yemen before and after the reunification. This was manifested in several aspects, most notably the financing of the construction of the Sheikh Zayed Maternal and Child Hospital in Sana'a, and the construction of 1,000 homes for those affected by the floods that hit Hadramout and Al-Mahra governorates in late 2008. The Yemeni government and the UAE government signed a memorandum of understanding on May 5, 2009, for the construction of these housing units at a cost of 100 million dirhams, in addition to providing medical and humanitarian aid and building a comprehensive camp for those displaced from the Saada war earlier this year. Not to mention its supportive stances for development through the Friends of Yemen group and its generous contribution to the Yemen donor conference held in the British capital London in late 2006.

In the field of humanitarian and charitable aid, the value of humanitarian programs and charitable and developmental projects implemented by the UAE Red Crescent Authority in Yemen from 1994 to last year exceeded 84 million dirhams, including relief operations, construction, development, and seasonal projects, orphan care and sponsorship programs, and lump-sum and in-kind aid.

On another note, official statistics indicate that the UAE ranked first in the list of Yemen's trading partners among the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, with Yemen's imports from the UAE amounting to 365 billion riyals, while the value of Yemeni exports to the UAE reached 94 billion riyals.

Statistics from the Central Statistical Organization in Yemen stated that the trade balance still favors the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, recording 475 billion riyals, up from 284 billion riyals.