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Middle East and North Africa
Yemen |
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| Last updated: 03 September 2009 |
Country information
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Yemen has no outstanding disputes with any of its neighbours. A border agreement with Saudi Arabia was signed in 2006 which brought this long-standing dispute to a close.
Yemen's Relations with the UK
After the low ebb of the 1994 civil war, which followed a period of political isolation after the Gulf war, Yemen embarked on a programme of political and economic reform. Relations were strained by a series of kidnap incidents, including that in December 1998 in which three British tourists were killed, and by the conviction of eight British citizens for terrorist activity in Yemen.
The UK and Yemen have a longstanding bilateral relationship and cooperation exists in a number of areas, including security and development.
UK Development Assistance
The UK has provided development assistance to Yemen since the early 1970s, with some interruptions. In 2007, the Department for International Development (DFID) signed a 10 Year Development Partnership Arrangement (DPA) with the Government of Yemen to demonstrate its commitment to supporting the country tackle its challenges over the long term. DFID has also scaled up its aid programme in Yemen from £12m in 2008 to £20m in 2009. The current programme includes support for basic and secondary education, maternal and neonatal health, community development through a social fund, justice and policing and promoting non-oil growth. In addition, as part of the DFID White Paper – Building our Common Future – launched in 2009, Yemen is one of five vulnerable countries identified as part of a specific focus on jobs where 7.5 million people will benefit from jobs and economic opportunities.
Cultural Relations with the UK
The British Council have an office in Sana'a. The British Museum held a major exhibition from June to October 2002 featuring many exhibits from Yemen.
Recent Visits
Inward
November 2004: Dr Adnan Al Jifri, Minister for Justice
August 2004 and November 2006: President Ali Abdullah Saleh and Dr Al Qirby, Foreign Minister
May 2004: Dr Al Qirby, Foreign Minister,
July 2002: Dr Bajammal, Prime Minister
March 2002: Dr Al Qirby, Foreign Minister.
Outward
August 2009: Keith Vaz, Head of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Yemen .
May 2008 and January 2006: Dr Kim Howells, FCO Minister of State visited Yemen
January 2004: The Attorney General, Lord Goldsmith
