The latest development project of the German Embassy was officially inaugurated by the Charge d'Affaires, Mr. Matthias Kiesler on Wednesday, 10th March, 1999. 
This project involves the construction of a 1.9 kilometer pipe system along with the pump and other water drilling equipment financed by the micro project scheme of the embassy. 
Now, some 1,000 people will have access to clean drinking water in the villages of Bait Al-Mudai, Al-Makrat, Al-Sidar, Zayfan and Bani Suwaid - all in the district of Manakha. 
The project is executed in close cooperation with the local population and the Water Authority. 

 

At 5:00 pm on Sunday 21st March, 1999, a group of young men and women will make presentations on the damage done to our society by qat. 
The talk will take place at the Mohammed Abdo Ghanim hall of the Medical Cultural Center in Sanaa. The event is open to all. 

 

A number of Yemeni investors and businessmen disclosed to Yemen Times their intention to participate in the Fifth Annual Conference for Markets and Capital to be held in Beirut, Lebanon, during 12-14 May, 1999. The Financial and Investment Exhibition will be held at the same time. 
Both events are organized by the famous and specialized magazine, Al-Iktisad Wal-Aamal. 
A month later, also in Beirut and also co-organized by Al-Iktisad Wal-Aamal, the Second Arab Conference for Food and Packaging Industries will be held. It will take place during 15-20 June, 1999. 

 

Mr. Sorin Potanc, State Secretary at the Ministry of Industry and Trade in Romania, arrived in Sanaa last night. Yemeni-Romanian ministerial talks to boost trade and joint investments are expected to be held today and tomorrow. 
Romania also has some companies working in the fields of energy - notably the electric supply grid and in oil exploration. 

 

"Many Yemeni businessmen see more benefits in marketing their goods through exhibitions and fairs," according to Mr. Omar Al-Nihmi, General Manager of Apollo Exhibition Center. That is why his company has lined up fairs going all the way to 2001. 
International producers have also started to tap the Yemeni market through regular fairs in Sanaa, Aden and Taiz. 

 

The 10th Scientitifc Seminar of Ear, Nose and Throat Specialists was held in Taiz on March 14th, 1999. It was co-chaired by Hassan Al-Udayni and Abdulaziz Al-Shaksi - both well-known ENT doctors. 
A visiting Egyptian specialist Dr. M. Begermi, also participated with a lecture on Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery, a new improvement in the treatment of patients, and which is now available in Yemen. 
The seminar was concluded with a speech by Dr. Gamal Katab, a representative of the Glaxo Welcome, which sponsored the event. 

 

Ms. Angela Dickey, Political Officer at the US Embassy in Sanaa told the Yemen Times that she is inviting Yemeni human rights activists and other relevant persons to an open debate. The discussions will focus on the recent report by the US State Department on human rights conditions in Yemen. 
The USIS office has meanwhile issued invitations for the same purpose. The debate will start at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, March 2rd, 1999. It will be at the Sheba Towers Hotel close to the Sheba (Saba) circle. 
The report has been fairly critical of the deterioration of conditions in Yemen, and reported many violations in the country. Needless to say, the Yemeni authorities are neither happy with the report, nor with the debate. 

 

Brigadier Qassim Al Shaibani, Director of the National Demining Program, stated that a second training program for deminers was started on Saturday, 20 March. Some 200 Yemeni antipersonnel deminers who are to work in the field, are enrolled. The course, in Aden, will continue till the end of July. 
American experts will supervise the training. 
It is worth mentioning here that the first batch of Yemeni antipersonnel deminers graduated last December, representing the managerial and supervisory cadres of the program. 
The next phase, according to priorities listed by the National Committee on Demining, is the fieldwork which will begin in August. The United States contributed US $800,000 to finance the program while the Japanese government is co-financing the program with a recently announced donation of US$ 500,000. 

 

On Sunday, March 21st, 1999, the tree-planting season of the Republic of Yemen was launched by the Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Ahmed Salim Al-Jabali. 
The country plans to plant some 600,000 seedling during this season which extends for roughly a month. Most of the trees planted are not fruit-bearing, and are intended for beautification and environmental factors. 
Most government officials are expected to show up and plant a tree at one stage or another. The army, school children, and the general public also participate in this national program. 
March/April are the best ties for planting trees in Yemen, because of climatic considerations. Many families also avail themselves of the opportunity by planting fruit-trees in their backyards in cities and on their farms.