MAHYOUB AL-KAMALI
BY YEMEN TIMES STAFF
The ancient city of Zabid is being targeted as a prime example of how preserving urban heritage will help Yemen's economy.
Zabid is the recent recipient of a strategy implemented by the Dutch government in co-operation with UNESCO.
The new plan has been implemented at the city's fortress for the purpose of creating an awareness of the economic value of urban heritage.
The campaign activities have been permeated with numerous theatrical parts, Zabid fashion show, Zabid wedding customs and children drawings, an exhibition containing drawings expressing sufferings of the city of Zabid.
The five-year program of heritage and preservation of old Yemeni cities was established in 2000.
The program has taken into consideration the city of Zabid and a number of other cities. It focuses on the environment where they are built because of their relationship to the urban fabric of these cities. It also intends to give prominence to characteristics of these cities with regard to historical aspects, architectural styles and modes of traditional life in them.
The city of Zabid is located on an elevation between Zabid valley to the south and Raqa'a valley to the north, to the south of the new city at a distance of about 100 km on the Hodeidah-Taiz road and at midway between the mountains and the Red Sea.
Zabid is one of the world cities that UNESCO has decided is a world heritage. What it needs now is a fertile economic and tourist environment,
The supervisor of the project says goals of the Dutch developmental policy are to reduce poverty and this policy applies to the poor in Yemen's urban areas. This means that the program concentrates on the significance of improving the living condition of people in old cities. ''Culture has great economic and development factors as the tourist could be developed to for an important economic resource by reviving historical cities, he added.
According to the program publications, the revival of the city of Zabid would contribute to developing the domestic economy, "as the reviving operation would make this city, and others, more attracting to private sector investors and would lead to push forward the wheel of developing urban economy.''
Meanwhile, the preservation and rehabilitation of Zabid would urge the population to adhere to living and working and investing their old houses. And the process of reconstruction of destroyed parts would create job opportunities contributing to reduce unemployment in the labor market.
Throughout its long history the city of Zabid has been a centre of science and civilization and Islamic radiation. It has witnessed development in the fields of arts, architecture, industry, agriculture and fortresses and walls and decoration of doors.
As for the wall of the city of Zabid, it is different from walls of historical cities in Yemen. It is built of baked bricks, mud and gypsum. There are 29 old mosques in the city, most famous of which is al-Asha'er mosque established by the prophet companion Abumousa al-Asha'ri in 8 Hegera year. The mosque of prophet companion Ma'adh Jabal is situated at the head of Zabid valley.
The program continues its campaign in cooperation with the local council of the city and other concerned authorities for the protection of the city of Zabid. It urge the population for cooperation in order to improve their economic conditions.

BY RIDWAN AL-SAQQAF
ADEN BUREAU CHIEF
After years of economic depression, Yemen's southern port city of Aden is reviving thanks to the establishment of the Aden container port and free zone.
To know more about the history of this great port which was once of the most famous ports in the world, Mr. Radwan Assaqaf, Aden bureau chief, met with the marketing director of the Yemen Port Authority, Mr. Adbulrab Al Khulaqi. Here's an edited version of their conversation.

Q:Could you give us a historical background on the port of Aden?
A:Aden has a deep-rooted trade history. It was announced as a free port and the sole port for exporting coffee in Yemen in 1850.
The inauguration of Suez Canal in 1869 led to the revival of Aden as a meeting point between East and West.
In 1855 an armlet was established in Mua'ala, As a result, the customs center was moved there in 1864 and coal exports increased in Aden.
In 1870, a telegraph station was established in Aden which facilitated communication between West and East. Thus, there was a trade boom in Aden from 1885 to 1910. Other neighboring ports became secondary ports.
When coal was replaced by steam, ship traffic doubled and the demand for expanding the port for bigger vessels increased. Port expansion was initiated in 1891.
In 1931, Aden had four quays, and it received about 150 vessels monthly. But the best trade business of the port began in 1950, when it was receiving around 40-50 vessels daily.
In 1955, Aden refinery and oil port was established to meet the vessels need of fuel and in 1960, another three quays were built to provide vessels with fuel while calling at the port. In the sixties, Aden was of the most active ports in the world due to its strategic location and unique services.
However, the port declined after Yemen's independence, not only in the number of vessels, but also in the services offered. The decline was ascribed to the closure of Suez Canal, the Gulf War, Yemen's civil war, and other political disputes.
At unification, however, Aden was named a free zone and then it was re-established as a container port in 1997. Aden could resume its place in both regional and international levels. Container port capacity reached 57,000 containers.

Q:What are unique features of Aden port?
A: Aden port is located at the juncture of the Red Sea and Aden Gulf, So it is on an international trade line which connects the Far East and America. Ships need only four nautical miles to reach the guiding station, the surrounding water of the port is clean of coral reefs, which helps set marine marks, and it has moderate climate, which enables the port to work 365 days annually.
Moreover, the port of Aden is of deep water, protected by series of 500-meter high mountains from east and south, which save it from seasonal winds in winter. It's also surrounded by mountains of 350 meters from the south and west, which protects it from summer winds. The strategic location of the port qualifies it for providing transit services for good across east Africa, red sea, Indian subcontinent and Arab gulf.

Q: What is the future of the port, and what about challenges?
A:Future plans focus on restructuring the YPA, computerization, improving services by bringing up-to-date equipment, improving staff through special courses, and offering help to the private sector to build-up specialized anchorages.
The key problems we are now facing include a lack of financial support to carry out needed programs and projects, difficulty of coordinating workers, and a shortage in well-qualified workers.

BY YEMEN TIMES STAFF
While in the last year it has suffered losses from the 9/11 attacks on the U.S., tourism in Yemen has been on a steady rise over the last decade, according to the Ministry of Tourism.
Between 1991 and 2001, the number of tourists in Yemen, annually, rose from 43,656 to 75,579, a rise of 73%.
Tourist resources resulting from tourist activity during the same period increased from US $21 million in 1991 to US $67 million in 2001.
Hotels, tourist & travel agencies, restaurants and parks and clubs have also witnessed steady growth during the past years. Tourist facilities have increased from 768 in 1991 to 2,329 in 2001, an increase by 203%, according to the ministry.
The number of hotel beds has increased from 8,523 in 1991 to 32,342 in 2001. Manpower volume in tourist facilities has risen to 17,950 employees.
It was World Tourism Day on September 23.
Since 9/11, Yemen, however, has lost an estimated $1 billion in tourism and other loosed.

The Road Ahead
Redefining a Business Strategy
BY RAIDAN A. AL-SAQQAF
r_saqqaf@hotmail.com
As everything is subject to change, a business organization is also subject to change. Organizational change can be a result of changes in marketplace demands, competition, new products and services or fluctuations in the economic conditions. These changes necessitate business organizations to reformulate, revise and redefine their strategies.

Unless redefined, the consequences will effect the organization negatively and it will end up with a few hard options to choose from. And when such organizations eventually tend to bring change agents in, their ability to come back to the track will be very limited. A quick solution from within might be the best viable option.

Time and again, creative managements have enlarged the boundaries of their businesses by re-evaluating their assets and their applications in order to bring the business back into track. This is why it is best to start with adopting a better asset utilization strategy.

Redefining a business strategy through an asset utilization strategy could bring into consideration new options that are more viable. For example as many smaller computer manufacturers find it harder to compete with the giants in that field, they shifted their focus from computers into computer accessories and supplements.

Assets can be in the form of physical assets, Production capacities, and skills. In fact, the ability to match skills with physical assets can ensure the maximum utilization of them. Like how advanced engineering skills can help in increasing the production capacity of a machine.

Examples of skills can be Production & Engineering skills, Marketing skills, planning & coordination skills & fund management skills. Such skills are essential in order to appreciate the true value of an organization, which lies in the skills of its people who are again the most important asset in an organization. If their skills were properly utilized they would act as resources that can facilitate and open new business opportunities. Look at the Yemen times for example; Event management skills were utilized in creating events such as the upcoming training course on press coverage of the coming elections for journalists.

Tactical use of skills might hold present surprises. A good example is The National Trading Company (NATCO); the distributors of Ford & Hyundai vehicles in Yemen. After they faced difficulty in achieving their targeted sales volume, they redefined their strategy and used their marketing skills in fleet sales. They were very successful and an award winners.

Moving away or divesting from the original business is sometimes critical for a business. The business strategy has to be redefined according to the resources available either as assets or skills and knowledge. This will help in meeting changes and increasing pressure on the business organizations.

Endnote: An Asset Utilization strategy is often the most viable option available in order to improve its performance. Such a strategy will force the company to redefine its strategy and look for new opportunities.