Presidential Election Program
Introduction
Allah in His Holy Book calls on Muslims to stick
to grouping and do not resort to division “ and remember Allah’s grace
who made you brothers after you were enemies”, and says that the honor
of hoisting the banner of Allah on earth “was feared by heavens, earth
and mountains and accepted by the human being..”
And peace by upon the messenger of Allah his family and all his Sahaba.
Our Yemeni nation is witnessing this year one of its most important
political events, which represents a prominent and qualitative turnover
along the path of deepening its unionist and democratic march. It is the
people’s free and direct elections of the president of the country which
will be held for the first time in our national history according to the
constitution which stated that president of the country
is to be elected for two terms each stretching for five years. It has registered
a turning point and a very important step toward bolstering the democratic
process and crystallizing the principle of peaceful exchange of power.
It has also led the people into the 21st century with confidence,
bright hope, solid with and belief that Yemeni future will be more
developing, modernizing and integrated with changes of the age in
addition to its political, economic, social, cultural and scientific challenges.
The free and direct elections, on all levels, represent an embodiment of
the people’s free will and an execution of the constitutional principle
which affirms that the people
are the owner of the authority and it source. Elevating this
process to the level of direct and competitive
elections for the presidency clearly indicates that the doctrine
of peaceful circulation of power, which is the highest rank in a
democratic process, had become a de facto situation and not merely hopes,
dreams or imaginations.
All this proved that the general political system in Yemen has
matured to pave the way for such an important
and qualitative event in the history of Yemen, to continue the building
of the modern Yemeni state, the state of institutions, law and order,
the state of the Yemeni human who aspires towards
elevation to the rank of advanced and modern political societies.
The Yemeni people today, through indulging
in the experiment and new leap, affirm that their awareness and practice
of shoura and democracy were in extension of an old heritage called for
the Islamic Sharia.
Democracy is our model means toward building institution bodies, deepening
national unity and achieving comprehensive development.
Historic march of the political life of Yemen ever since the era of
Shebans until present state of blessed unity near the end of the second
millennium indicate that the system of shoura and democracy
had displayed that the Yemeni people always rejected tyrannical and dictatorial
regimes. It also affirmed that popular struggle is based on freedom as
an essential right, since freedom is an instinct that Almighty
Allah had set in humans.
Ali Abdullah Saleh has proven in all his stands, commitments and pledges
that he would never alienate himself from the people’s march,
who believes in the Islamic creed and tolerant sharia and who
defends their national unity, social justice and economic development.
He has also been struggling for the defense of democracy, public
and individual freedoms, human rights, security, stability and social
peace.
The keenness of Ali Abdullah Saleh President
of the Republic and Chairman of the PGC, on consolidation
the democratic march and peaceful circulation
of power was reflected in his adoption of the constitutional
amendments limiting the President’s term of office to only constitution
was not merely meant as a democratic commitment for holding general elections
and direct presidential elections on scheduled legal and constitutional
time. But rather, it was a real belief that democracy was an integrated
values, rights, duties and mechanics in a state power whose is emanated
from the people. It is a state in which doctrines of freedom, equality
and justice among people prevail over their inter-relations
along with relations between its various social and political
organizations side by side with doctrines of social cooperation and peace.
All the above - mentioned is linked to protection of national unity
within the framework of the abidance of all individuals and groups
by the constitution, law and general discipline. Such a trend would,
no doubt, provide an elevating feeling of national responsibility
in addition to spreading confidence among all individuals, social organizations
and political groupings towards the future of the nation and its
political, social and economic regime.
This is the way Ali Abdullah Saleh thinks and works and along that
path he walks for the sake of asserting the basics of life, democratic
practice, institutional unity and achieving comprehensive development.
Many great historical accomplishments were achieved under the leadership
of Ali Abdullah Saleh, President of the Republic and chairman of
the PGC along the past 21 years in cooperation with all benevolent
national forces. As a result, many important and strategic steps
were realized on all national, political, economic and developmental
levels.
Prominent among which are :
First : The Restoration of Yemeni unity and affirming
constitutional legitimacy as a great of historic accomplishment that
embraced the dream of the Yemeni generations. It also reflected
their national and social ambitions and aspirations of a safe and
stable future that is full of development and progress.
Second : Finding the institutional construction of the modern Yemeni
state in addition to asserting security and stability, and
achieving comprehensive revival in the country.
Third : Stressing the democratic march, making it one of the stable
foundations of national unity, human rights and peaceful circulation of
power.
Fourth : Walking firmly along the road of comprehensive economic
and social development and starting the implementation of important strategic
projects topped by :
- Exploring and exploiting oil and gas.
- Building the basic cornerstone of the free zone in Aden.
- Constructing roads, harbors and
airports in their capacity as the economy’s main infrastructure.
- Developing social services in the fields of public and academic education,
along with medical services, and spiritual and cultural build up.
- Upgrading transport, communications, information, culture,
tourism and trade services.
- Establishing electricity,water and sewerage installations along
with granting increased concern to
health environment and municipal services.
- Setting appropriate demographic policies, catering for maternity
and childhood and paying attention to family issues in its capacity
as the first nucleus of the society.
- Creating a social security network to provide work
opportunities, achieving social integration, elevating people’s living
conditions and consolidating their participation is economic, social and
cultural development.
- Giving concern to tourism, hotel services and granting necessary
facilities to uplift tourism services.
- Encouraging women and urging them to participate political,
economic and social development.
Fifth : Re-structuring the economy and
introducing structural and financial reforms as an important step towards
renaissance and constant development.
- Achieving major and tangible successes in
economic and financial reforms and restructuring, in addition to providing
more investment opportunities domestically and international and boosting
confidence in Yemeni economy.
- Halting economic deterioration, establishing financial and monetary
balance and protecting national currency from collapse.
- Providing the principle of economic freedom, increasing competition
chances, fighting all forms of monopoly and working for abolishing all
financial and administrative corruption.
- Developing investment laws and organizing dealings with the private
sector to attract more national, Arab and foreign capital to invest in
all sectors.
Sixth : Realizing administrative reforms as an important step
towards institutionalizing a modern state.
- Affirming the doctrine of administrative and financial decentralization
and working for applying the system of local rule.
- Reforming the civil service body and keeping the public jobs neutral
and away from any partisan or political impacts in addition to linking
between rights and duties, and balancing authority with responsibility.
- Stressing respect of laws, regulations and
doctrines of justice and equality between citizens in addition to supporting
the basic rule of reward and punishment in evaluation of performance.
- Highlighting transparency in dealings and boosting role of observation
on all levels.
Seventh : laying down principled basis for reforming the judiciary
reaching to social peace and to provide security and stability in
addition to the doctrine of the supremacy of law and order.
- Setting a comprehensive program for judicial reform.
- Controlling public security, combatting anti- religious manners and
anti- social traditions, and underlining doctrines of tolerance and human
detente.
- Fighting all forms of terrorism and rejecting fanaticism in addition
to constant call for dialogue, and fraternal and civilizational understanding.
- Protecting the basic human rights and setting legal guarantees
for them.
- Providing the principle of total independence of
the judiciary, and safety and integrity of the judges.
Protecting the citizens against oppression and judicial corruption,
for justice is the basis of power and an insurance
of stability in various dealings.
Eighth : Building the armed forces and security apparatus
on appropriate national basis and guaranteeing their allegiance to national
belief, safeguarding constitutional legitimacy
and protection of national sovereignty, law and
order.
Ninth : Adopting a balanced foreign policy that is
based on frankness, truth, equality and mutual interest in addition to
providing chances for peace, security and stability in the region and the
world at large.
- Pursuing a foreign policy based on non-intervention in others’ internal
affairs and respecting people’s will in choosing political systems.
- Rejecting the use or threatening
force in settling differences and resorting to
dialogue and peaceful solutions in addition to affirming laws
and respecting international legitimacy.
- Backing the national legitimate rights of the Arab people in liberty,
independence and full national sovereignty.
- Contributing seriously in providing conditions of peace,
security and stability in the region.
- Establishing relations based on
mutual benefits, balanced development and increasing opportunities
of a just partnership in all economic, social and cultural fields.
- Supporting the non- aligned movement and regional and international
organizations seeking to back up national development, improving
conditions for international merger and boosting positive
dialogue for the sake improving globalization in its capacity as
an important phenomenon of the new world order.
- Asserting serious endeavors for international cooperation
in environment protection, combatting
terrorism and drug trafficking, elimination of mass destruction
weapons, fighting organized crime and rejecting
all forms of religious and racist fanaticism, and racial discrimination.
- Affirming total bias to human rights issues, public freedoms, freedom
of the press and constant backing to social institutions and non- governmental
organizations.
The Elections Program
Consolidating the Building of the Modern Yemeni State
National Unity, Democracy and Comprehensive
Development are our Means to Progress
This program, which we present
to the people, is the summary of the mature experience of Ali Abdullah
Saleh in the field of national, unionist, democratic
and developmental arena. It is the national program for the upcoming stage
that calls for right, justice and peace and for development, progress and
welfare.
The is could be only feasible through the following :
First : Bolstering the institutional building
of the modern, democratic Yemeni state, the state of
justice, law and order, and social justice.
1- Deepening democratic march
in the country’s political life and in various institutions.
2- Making humans and public freedoms the basic aim
in practice through protection dignity, blood, honor and money of the Yemeni
citizens.
3- Affirming popular participation in governing the country by
applying the local rule which is based on decentralization.
4- Continuing with the administrative reform program and executing
the civil service law regarding the public jobs in addition to ensuring
their neutrality and elevating qualitative performance of employees.
5- Re- structuring the government and
public sector to guarantee more competence and erase corrupt practices.
6- Establishing balance and harmony
between the authority and the responsibility in addition to setting up
measures for efficiency.
7- Attaching special concern to popular non- governmental activity
so as to serve as a popular back up to economic, social, cultural and political
development.
8- Granting syndicated, unions, societies and non- government
at organizations full freedom of organizing themselves and of
working on voluntary and democratic basis
in addition to helping them in performing their
social and humanitarian missions.
9- Elevating freedom of the press and ensuring freedom
of expression to its noblest goals.
10- Giving special attention to family, childhood and women including
their legitimate rights as stipulated in the constitution.
11- Implementing the document for judicial reform
in addition to developing all courts and public prosecution to
boost respect of the judiciary. Affirming neutrality and independence
of the judiciary, making it one of the basic factors in the
institutional building of the country.
12- Improving status of jails, detention facilities
and reform institutions in their capacity as rehabilitation centers.
13- Developing the system of commercial arbitration for the sake of
stabilizing dealing and boosting confidence in it to serve
market economy and encouraging local and foreign
investments.
14- Paying more concern to maintaining efforts for the sake of building
the qualitative ability of the armed forces and security apparatus to bolster
the country’s defense capability. The should be firm commitment to protecting
constitutional legitimacy and banning partisan activities
within them to ensure their allegiance
to Allah, the nation and the revolution.
15- Upgrading level of training and introducing modern technology
in the military and security fields to meet development requirements
in armaments.
16- Consolidating procedures and activating laws dealing with means
of stabilizing security and stability in the society in addition to organizing
the phenomenon of carrying weapons and fighting terrorism. Combatting any
attempt to infringe on security of citizens and tourists since such deviations
are rejected by all heavenly creeds and Yemeni traditions.
Second : Making constant and comprehensive development a continuous
national struggle, and real partnership between the state and the citizen
within and outside the nation, and between Yemen and the world.
1- Allocating development efforts
for the sake of elevating the Yemeni citizen’s
living conditions in addition to mobilizing
material and financial potential so as to
use them in an ideal manner.Finding a large base for small investment ventures
and creating a stock exchange to develop the country’s free economic system.
2- Expanding and strengthening basic and economic infrastructure
especially the building of roads, airports, harbors, electricity generation
stations, irrigation installations, industrial and storage areas, coastal
and fishing service centers, air and sea travel services, telecommunications
and developing internal and external trade transactions.
3- Paying more concern to public education and vocational and professional
training and rehabilitation through adopting a national educational strategy.
4- Attaching special importance to demographic and
environmental issues in their capacity as
vital questions of economic, social and
humanitarian dimensions.
5- Confronting the issue of water shortage seriously and drafting
a national strategy to run water resources along with continuing
the construction of dams and water reserves through integrating official
and public efforts.
6- Setting national priorities for promoting
important economic resources represented in oil
and gas, tourism, fishery, agriculture along with expanding the system
of free zones and improving Yemeni
islands.
7- Giving more importance to health
programs and catering for maternity and childhood, preventive programs
and improving the citizens’ health awareness. Expanding in construction
of specialized hospitals and attracting national and foreign
medical efficient cadres to work in them to limit treatment abroad in addition
to expanding in construction of clinics and health services in all areas
of the country .
8- Preparing the second five- year economic and social development
plan for the years 2001-2005 within a comprehensive strategy that targets
realizing the most important developmental goals of :
- Elevating the continued upgrading of production and service
sectors, establishing coordination and integration among the
production, distribution and local and foreign marketing processes including
the removal of all obstacles facing the export of local products.
- Converting the economic, financial and administrative reform process
into a constant operation to regulate performance and treat any mistakes
in economic and administrative conditions.
- Expanding the network of social security and related projects along
with finding work opportunities to ease unemployment in a way that
would expand the number of the beneficiaries especially the limited
income groups.
- Encouraging investment and enabling the private sector to perform
its role in the production process and to increase
its contribution in boosting national economy. Drafting detailed
studies and finding an informational data base that would help adopt
investment decisions by businessmen.
- Paying concern to agriculture and working for drafting a strategy
for food security in Yemen specially adopting a
strict water policy and introducing modern irrigation systems.
- Encouraging farmers and directing them toward
planting crops that would be exported or industrialized.
- Giving more importance to fisheries and protection of water wealth
and marine environment against robbery and destruction. This should include
passing legislation and endorsing strict observation to eliminate the random
exploitation of fisheries.
- Developing investment in the fishing sector and linking it to the
process of industrialization and organized export
along with encouraging popular contribution in those processes.
- Executing the project of exploiting natural gas for purposes
of liquefaction, export and energy generation in addition to using
it in petrochemical, convertible industries and local consumption.
- Expanding the basis of investment and exploration of oil, mineral
and construction materials including
increasing field surveys and encouraging local cadres to work in this important
and vital sector.
- Catering for local industries and establishing industrial areas.
Creating a national industrial environment,
entering a strategic partnership that would ensure the transfer appropriate
technology, the use of local raw materials and encouraging small
handicrafts.
- Finding the material necessities for converting tourism into a
basic and important supporter to economic
development and a source of foreign currency.
- Maintaining concern with establishing and modernizing
communications and postal services in various areas of the
republic in addition to organizing means of transport to sole problems
of distribution, movement of goods and export of products.
- Increasing electricity generation and constructing distribution
networks in addition to encouraging local and foreign private sector to
invest in this sphere.
- Continuing the implementation of sewerage projects for main and secondary
cities, paying more attention to cleanliness and environment
along with spreading public awareness on this vital subject. Providing
clean water for distant areas and providing stability factors for their
inhabitants.
- Exerting constant efforts for the elevation of
labor values, culture and production in addition to elevating the
youths’ capabilities to indulge in private work and grant them facilities
in various sectors.
- Supporting aspects of social development topped by rehabilitation
programs for the handicapped and the elderly. Encouraging private cooperatives
and paying concern to investing the pension and social security funds.
- Maintaining support to youth and supporting sportive activities
and continuing the construction of sportive installations in all governorates.
- Consolidating informational endeavor
and all its institutions to cope
with the efforts for political, economic and cultural
development in addition to endorsing its national unionist
content. Paying concern to the information service broadcast to the
foreign countries so at to reflect a true image of life in
Yemen and to confront smear campaigns against our nation, democratic
experience and developmental march by enemies of the country.
- Expanding cultural activities, arts and science with all its
branches along with child culture, youth and family.
- Paying more attention to sermons and guidance to spread public
awareness of the Islamic religion’s doctrines and values in addition to
deepening the spirit of tolerance and national unity. Strict implementation
of Waqf, preserving and protecting property of the Waqf and regulating
the construction of mosques and maintaining
their religious, educational and guidance role.
Third : Enhancing the role of Yemen in
maintaining security, stability and peace in the region and the world
at large in a way that boosts relations on the basis of common interest
and mutual respect.
1- Asserting the principle of
respecting national sovereignty of all countries and the non
- interference in internal affairs along with rejecting the use of or threatening
force in settling disputes. Respecting international
laws, adopting the doctrine of dialogue understanding and peaceful
and just solutions. Establishing a balance
of interests and rights among nations and non- adoption
of double dealings in international
relations and concepts in addition to endorsing the doctrines of justice,
peace, security and stability.
2- Working on a foreign policy that would bolster Yemen’s
relations with sisterly countries in the
Peninsula and Gulf in addition to promoting cooperation with them to establish
an integrate relationship in all field.
3- Maintaining peaceful negotiations
and fraternal dialogue to solve the border dispute with brothers
in Saudi Arabia on the basis of no harm done to either party.
4- Keeping constant support to the Palestinian people to
restore their full legitimate rights and backing all their options including
the right to an independent state on national soil with Jerusalem as its
capital. Realizing just and comprehensive peace in the region and aiding
the struggle of the Syrian and Lebanese peoples for the
liberation of heir occupied territories in addition to
maintaining the call for restoring Arab solidarity and boosting the role
of the Arab League. Regulating the convening of the Arab summits, exerting
efforts towards a Pan - Arab conciliation to confront challenges
and dangers against the Arab Nation and finding new methods to upgrade
joint Arab action on all levels.
5- Bolstering relations with countries of the
Horn of Africa and east Africa including sharing in finding peace and stability
to its peoples to preserve safety and security of the Red Sea, protect
its environment, coasts and natural resources.
Finding means for regional cooperation among littoral countries of
the Indian Ocean.
6- Strengthening cooperation relations among all Islamic
countries including trade exchange and economic, technical and cultural
cooperation. Boosting role of the Organization of Islamic Conference
in support of just Islamic questions and enhancing dialogue among various
religions in service of international peace.
7- Affirming Yemen’s principled stance in the rejection
of violence and all forms of terrorism and all kinds of racial or religious
discrimination.
8- Consolidating efforts for reforming
the U.N., the security council and all affiliate bodies.
9- Supporting the call for increasing role of regional
and international institutions working in the field of economic and social
spheres and exerting efforts for the sake of benefitting from their activity
in Yemen’s comprehensive development program.
10- Constant development of Yemen’s ties with sisterly and friendly
countries especially those backing its development process in all fields.
11- Backing international efforts targeting
combat of organized crime, drug, trafficking, contagious
diseases and environment pollution
in addition to backing efforts for
the elimination of mass destruction weapons in
a just manner away from double dealing or selection in execution of international
resolutions.
12- Boosting the role of the non- aligned movement and elevating its
performance to face new challenges facing the developing
nations in addition to enhancing Yemen’s
relations with all international governmental and non- governmental organizations
concerned with human rights, protection of public freedoms and attaining
justice and equality among peoples.
Ali Abdullah Saleh
The candidate of the People’s General conference,
the Yemeni Congregation for Reform,
the National Council for the Opposition and
the candidate of the people and the nation
Together towards the 21 st century and the third millennium
To all Yemenis in various sectors and walks of life and all regions
of the cherished homeland : we present to you this program
for comprehensive development and continuous loyal action, for the sake
of the nation and citizens and for the sake of security and economic progress.
We will engage together, through Ali
Abdullah Saleh and this program, in the battle
of construction, stability, civilizational renaissance and national
unity. We will proceed along the road to preserve our dignity, defend our
doctrines and values, ensure our democratic march and confront all
challenges for the sake of building our modern state, that of constitutional
institutions, law and order, and comprehensive development in all spheres.
With this program we elevate Yemen to its aspired for status among
the world nations and cross into the 21 st century with stable
steps to back up our country, Arab and Islamic nations’ causes and to support
the people’s rights everywhere as an embodiment of
our great Islamic beliefs and
national doctrines.
To all Yemenis : we are called upon to give our confidence to
Ali Abdullah Saleh as the candidate for presidency and leader of
our unionist, democratic and developmental march for the upcoming
period in a bid to preserve all the gains and accomplishments achieved
in the past period.
So let us walk together along the road with
solid and confident steps and illuminated minds and hearts guided
by their belief in Allah and in their country along the paths of
right, justice and peace.
We are confident that the national Yemeni program will be realized
at the footsteps of the 21st century, the program for boosting the modern
Yemeni state, national unity, democracy and development in their capacity
as our means towards progress. Thus, it is the program of
the whole nation and all the people.
“Tell them to work for Allah, His messenger
and the believers will witness their work.” (From the Holy
Quran).
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Born in 1942 at Beit Al Ahmar village, Sanhan of the Governorate
of Sana’a.
