Former Bolivian President Sanchez de Lozada has confirmed his participation as the Co-chairman of the conference, along with the former Prime Minister of Canada, Kim Campbell. Together, some 130 of the delegates have confirmed that they will take part in the Forum. Former Guatemalan President Ramiro de Leon Carpio, who has also served as his country's Human Rights Ombudsman, has also confirmed that he will be attending. 

"We have some 6 or 7 current and former presidents and prime ministers attending," confirmed NDI Field Representative in Yemen, Derek Butler, "not to mention a diverse array of key decision makers from among the other participating delegates. Mr. Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, who hails from a German political party institute, now working in Yemen, has joined the list, which already includes the UNDP, the World Bank, the National Endowment for Democracy, the Westminster Foundation for Democracy, Irish Aid, and the governments of Canada, Japan, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States. There may still be more. This is remarkable, and is very good news for Yemen! We have friends who care about what happens here, and who want to support us" Ms. Dwyer said. 

On another level, the Yemeni government continues to play the role of the host, and is coordinating closely with NDI. They will ensure security, protocol, and hospitality. They will also help arrange bilateral meetings for the experts and observers who wish to meet Yemeni ministers and take advantage of this time. 

Mr. Butler added, "The objectives of the conference are to provide a forum to analyze and address both the achievements and obstacles to political and economic reform, and to encourage an ongoing commitment to the process these countries are engaged in. We recognize," he said, "that not every thing is perfect in all of these countries, but if we can give the process of reform some momentum, we will have succeeded. The important thing is to try." 

The unfortunate and unexpected death of the Dr. Abdulaziz on the 2nd of June 1999 has not prevented the deceased from scoring another triumph in his continuous efforts to keep the public informed. The Yemen Times therefore maintained that the Court should issue its decision, in accordance with the law. 

Unfortunately, the Judge had refused the request of the Yemen Times that the case be continued to its conclusion, on the assumption that the death of Dr. Al-Saqqaf was sufficient grounds for ending the case. However, the YT insists that the defendant was the Yemen Times, an ongoing concern, which had previously been represented by Dr. Abdulaziz, and therefore the case must continue, so that the truth can be upheld. The legal opinion of our lawyer is that: "In such situations, the case should have been divided equally between the former Editor-in-Chief and the newspaper, both as independent entities. Therefore, if the accusation against the editor had been withdrawn, the case against the paper should continue." 

Indeed, logic suggests that this case should be completed till the end. People are anxious to know where this money went. The attorney should have at least shown the court and the people of Yemen what the true numbers are. Ending the case this way is certainly a badly planned method of the government to conceal the truth. Withdrawing the case might seem a favor for the deceased, but in reality, it is just a shameful escape from justice. The disappointment in Yemen Times and among all the people of Yemen of how justice was not achieved in this case is big. If the attorney thinks that this move will calm things and bring Yemen Times and people to silence he is wrong. On the contrary, their tricks to conceal the facts, and close this case without mentioning the true numbers will only give us and give the whole nation another push and another try to once again ask, 
"Where did the money go?"