This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 08 SANAA 000255 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE PLEASE PASS TO OFFICE OF INVESTMENT AFFAIRS 
EB/IFD/OIA AND USTR 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPIC KTDB USTR YM ECON COM
SUBJECT: INVESTMENT CLIMATE 2005 
 
REF: SECSTATE 250356 
 
¶1. The following is posts' submission for the 2005 Investment 
Climate Statement: 
 
(Begin Text) 
 
 
Investment Climate 2005 for Yemen: 
 
     Openness to Foreign Investment 
     Conversion and Transfer Policies 
     Expropriation and Compensation 
     Dispute Settlement 
     Performance Requirements and Incentives 
     Right to Private Ownership and Establishment 
     Protection of Property Rights 
     Transparency of Regulatory System 
     Efficient Capital Markets and Portfolio Investment 
     Political Violence 
     Corruption 
     Bilateral Investment Agreements 
     OPIC and Other Investment Insurance Programs 
     Labor 
     Foreign-Trade Zones/Free Ports 
     Foreign Direct Investment Statistics 
     Web Resources 
 
------------------------------ 
Openness to Foreign Investment 
------------------------------ 
 
As one of the world's least developed countries, Yemen offers 
international investors natural resources and an inexpensive 
labor force.  On April 14, 2000, the government of Yemen 
requested accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) to 
more fully integrate into the world economy and gained 
observer status in 2002.  In November 2004, the United States 
Trade Representative, Department of State, Department of 
Commerce and other key US agencies began talks under the 
bilateral Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA). 
The United States anticipates preparation for WTO accession 
will further facilitate a free and open investment climate 
for international investors. 
 
Since unification of North and South Yemen in 1990, the 
Republic of Yemen embarked on a series of reforms aimed at 
stabilizing the economy and increasing investment.  An 
International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank-sponsored 
government economic restructuring program began in 1995.  The 
IMF introduced indirect monetary policy instruments, such as 
open market operations, rediscount facilities and reserve 
requirements.  While there is significant room for 
improvement, the ROYG began modernizing customs 
administrations and streamlining tariff policies under the 
reform program.  To help develop exchange markets, the 
IMF-advised policies led to the implementation of flexible 
exchange rate arrangements and supporting monetary policies. 
 
Yemen's macroeconomic factors have largely stabilized 
although some outstanding issues remain.  The Ministry of 
Finance and the Central Bank of Yemen (CBY) achieved currency 
stabilization with the Yemeni Riyal (YR); the YR floats at 
market rates and remains stable at 186 YR per USD.  Making 
dramatic strides, inflation, as measured by the Consumer 
Price Index (CPI), declined from 71 percent in 1994 to 11.8 
percent in 2003.  In 2004, the Central Bank estimated the 
inflation rate in the 12 percent bracket and maintaining its 
stability remains one of the most significant monetary policy 
challenges Another source, the IMF's September 2004 World 
Economic Outlook report, stated a CPI increase of 15.3 
percent for 2004 and projected a 15.2 percent increase for 
¶2005.  It also projected 2.7 percent real GDP growth in 2004 
and the same for 2005.  Foreign currency reserves in 2004 
reached USD 5.2 billion, or 15.3 months of imports.  As of 
June 14, 2001, the Paris Club rescheduled most of the 
external debt ($12 bn) and commercial debt has largely been 
eliminated through a World Bank grant program.  According to 
a September 2004 World Bank report, Yemen's debt-to-GDP ratio 
was 49.0 percent and its debt service-to-export of goods and 
services was 4.6 percent. 
 
With the implementation of tax incentives for merchants, 
Yemen's trade environment is steadily improving but more 
government focus is needed on privatization and financial 
sector reform.  To accede to the WTO, the ROYG must review 
its tariff structure.  A simplified and less protective 
tariff structure is currently being debated and there are 
plans to dramatically reduce and eliminate nearly all import 
bans, export restrictions, import licensing requirements, and 
to adopt a unified tariff structure.  Under Investment Law 22 
of 2002, duties applied on raw materials not available 
locally are exempted by 50 percent.  For agriculture and 
fisheries projects, all fully imported materials are exempt 
from duty.  An April 2004 Presidential directive decreed that 
land be granted to investors at no cost if the project 
capital is more than 10 million USD and the investment 
projects enjoy profit tax exemption.  For example, in late 
August 2004, the Saudi-owned Arab Company for Tourist 
Development and Investment was granted a large amount of land 
to construct a tourist village in Ibb city, stretching over 
127 thousand square meters worth $25 million. 
 
A privatization program started in 1998 with sixteen 
enterprises in industry, tourism, and trade, came to a 
standstill in April 2001 when Parliament refused to approve a 
World Bank credit to fund a larger, long-term privatization 
program.  In 2004, the Privatization Technical Bureau offered 
five trade companies for sale; the bureau is preparing 17 
other troubled trade companies for privatization in the 
future.  A law to bring increased authority to the Central 
Bank is being considered.  Commercial banks have also been 
required to improve their accounting procedures and loan 
recovery rates.  The banking system remains weak, with most 
commercial banks owned by large business families who are 
reluctant to lend money to those not known to them.  Roughly 
three percent of Yemenis have bank accounts and most 
financial transactions occur outside of the commercial 
banking system. 
 
After adopting several key economic reforms in the 90s, 
progress stalled in 2001 as the ROYG focused on important 
security issues.  In October 2004, a World Bank report 
noting, "because of the slackening pace of reforms (in Yemen) 
downside risks to medium-term macro-economic stability have 
increased."  Partly in response to this report, in January 
2005, Parliament passed the 2005 budget calling for several 
economic reform measures, including reducing the diesel and 
gas subsidy, with the provision that the government implement 
several economic and administrative reforms. 
 
The government adopted a policy of uniform treatment for all 
investors, domestic and foreign in 1992.  The lead government 
agency is the General Investment Authority (GIA), established 
in the same year.  Over the last decade, the GIA has 
cooperated with the World Bank's (WB) Foreign Investment 
Advisory service to update Yemen's Investment Law 22 of 1991 
(as amended).  The alternative Investment Law Number 22 of 
2002 was adopted by Parliament on June 2002 and signed by the 
President on July 20, 2002.  Implementation began in October 
¶2002. 
 
As written, the 2002 investment law safeguarded all 
exemptions and benefits called for in the previous investment 
law and mandates that the GIA de-emphasize licensing and 
focus on registration and promotion.  Once fully implemented, 
the GIA will become both a licensing and investment promotion 
body.  The law eliminated government and GIA and intervention 
in investment projects and gave wider freedom to investors in 
running their projects.  The law canceled some legal 
provisions, which provided special exceptions for investors 
from obtaining import and export licenses from the Ministry 
of Industry and Trade.  The law is intended to encourage 
local production by reducing customs duties by 50 percent on 
imported raw materials and 100 percent on raw materials 
produced locally for agricultural and fisheries projects. 
Finally, the law canceled some tax categories.  This 
investment law falls under the government's financial, 
economic and administrative reform program, and is intended 
to encourage foreign investment. 
 
Under amended Law 22 of 2002, the GIA registers and promotes 
investment opportunities.  The GIA provides potential 
investors with an information packet that includes a copy of 
the investment law, an investment guide summarizing GIA 
activities, and an application form with instructions. 
Packets may be obtained from the promotion section, General 
Investment Authority, P.O. Box 19022, Sanaa, Republic of 
Yemen (Telephone:  967-1-262-962/3 or 268-205; Fax: 
967-1-262-964, E-mail: mohdhussein@yahoo.com;  Website: 
www.giay.org). 
 
The GIA welcomes investment in all sectors with the exception 
of arms and explosive materials, industries that could cause 
environmental disasters, banking and money exchange 
activities, and wholesale and retail imports.  Investments in 
the exploration and production of oil, gas and minerals are 
subject to special agreements (e.g., production sharing 
agreements) under the authority of the Ministry of Oil and 
Minerals and do not fall within the purview of the GIA. 
Investment is open to Yemeni, Arab, or foreign investors 
acting solely or in partnership on any project. 
 
Boycott issues: Yemen formally renounced observance of the 
secondary and tertiary aspects of the Arab League Boycott of 
Israel in 1995.  However, occasional reports of violations 
have occurred due to Yemeni companies use of old purchase 
order forms that contain prohibited language.  When these 
violations are brought to the attention of concerned 
officials, corrective action is taken.  Yemen has stated that 
it will not renounce the primary aspect of the boycott absent 
an Arab League consensus.  Occasionally individuals or 
organizations will call for boycotts of US products.  Since 
the 2003 war in Iraq and throughout 2004, one Yemeni 
distributor/producer of a prominent American-branded consumer 
product received a number of threats to his factory. 
 
In late 2004, the Islands Development Public Authority 
announced more than 4,000 investment opportunities in the 
resource-rich islands of the Red Sea and Indian Ocean.  The 
government hopes that tourism along with investments in other 
sectors will create 250,000 additional jobs for these 
impoverished island populations. 
 
In November 2004, the government announced the creation of 
three industrial zones in Aden, Hodaida and al-Mukallah that 
will concentrate on manufacturing and infrastructure.  The 
Executive Order provides for the regulation, management, and 
supervision of industrial zones.  In conjunction with the 
establishment of the industrial zones, the government is 
lobbying industrialists to invest in these zones, construct 
its infrastructure, and manage operations. 
 
-------------------------------- 
Conversion and Transfer Policies 
-------------------------------- 
 
The Yemeni Riyal is freely exchanged at market rates and has 
been largely stable for the last five years at 186YR/1USD. 
Most foreign currencies, especially US dollars, are readily 
available and trade freely at market rates.   Investors may 
transfer funds in hard currency from abroad to Yemen for the 
purpose of investment and may re-export invested capital, 
whether in kind or in cash, upon liquidation or project 
disposal.  Net profits resulting from investment of foreign 
funds may be transferred freely outside of Yemen.  Cash 
transfers are limited to 10,000 USD, transfers above that 
amount must receive approval from the Central Bank of Yemen. 
 
------------------------------ 
Expropriation and Compensation 
------------------------------ 
 
In the Republic of Yemen's fifteen-year history, there have 
been no cases of property expropriation.  The government 
recognizes that expropriation (which existed in the former 
socialist Peoples' Democratic Republic of Yemen (PDRY) until 
reunification in 1990) is contrary to its economic 
aspirations.  Most of the lands expropriated by the PDRY were 
returned to the rightful owners.  Land registration, however, 
is in its infancy and disputes over both residential and 
commercial plots are frequent and nearly impossible to 
adjudicate legally (see Dispute Settlement section).  One 
American company has purchased the same plot of land on which 
its factory lies several times.    Since deed information is 
inexact, owners can sell multiple copies of a deed, and 
commercial suit options are extremely time-consuming, prone 
to corruption, and judgments are often not enforced. 
 
Yemen's investment law stipulates that private property will 
not be nationalized or seized, and that funds will not be 
blocked, confiscated, frozen, withheld or sequestered by 
other than a court of law.  Real estate may not be 
expropriated except in the national interest, and 
expropriation must be according to a court judgment and 
include fair compensation based on current market value. 
 
------------------ 
Dispute Settlement 
------------------ 
 
While there have been no significant investment disputes 
involving US investors in the past several years, commercial 
disputes are common.  Yemen is a signatory the Convention on 
the Settlement of Investment Disputes, as well as the 1958 
New York Convention on Arbitration. 
 
Yemen's judicial system is inefficient and corrupt.  While 
Yemen's investment-related laws are generally sound, 
enforcement remains problematic at best and nonexistent at 
worst.  The government has special commercial courts to 
provide a mechanism for commercial dispute resolution, but 
they are generally considered ineffective as well.  In 
January 2005, the Minister of Justice, with the support of 
President Saleh, removed several high-ranking Ministry of 
Justice officials and judges in an effort to reduce the 
corruption and ineffectiveness of the court system. 
International donors actively encourage the government to 
press forward with more extensive judicial reforms. 
Business disputes are generally handled by informal 
arbitration or within Yemen's court system.  In 1998 the 
Yemeni Center of Conciliation and arbitration, a private 
arbitration center,  was created by a group of lawyers, 
bankers, and businessmen as an alternative to the courts. 
The center has settled about 37 disputes so far in the areas 
of trade, finance, construction and industry, and is gaining 
recognition as a viable alternative. 
 
Most investors are best served by establishing a partnership 
with a Yemeni who knows the system, and by including an 
international arbitration clause in their contracts.  In 
cases involving interest, most judges use Shari'a (Islamic) 
law as a guideline, under which claims for interest payments 
due are almost always rejected.  Local commercial banks are 
sensitive to this problem, and rarely lend to other than 
established, large trading houses well known to them. 
 
--------------------------------------- 
Performance Requirements and Incentives 
--------------------------------------- 
 
Yemen's investment law does not specify performance 
requirements as conditions for establishing, maintaining or 
expanding investment.  Incentives permitted under the law 
include, but are not limited to:  Exemption from customs fees 
and taxes levied on fixed assets of the project; tax holiday 
on profits for a period of seven years, renewable for up to 
18 years maximum; the right to purchase or rent land and 
buildings; and, the right to import production inputs and 
export products without restrictions and registration in the 
import/export register. 
 
-------------------------------------------- 
Right to Private Ownership and Establishment 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
While foreigners may own property, foreign companies and 
establishments generally operate in Yemen through Yemeni 
agents.  Law 23 of 1997 (as amended) regulates agencies and 
branches of foreign companies and firms and outlines the 
requirements for establishing a Yemeni agent.  Chapter 3 of 
Law 23 permits foreign companies and firms to conduct 
business in Yemen by establishing foreign-owned and managed 
branches.  Foreign establishments wishing to open branches in 
their own names must obtain a permit by decree from the 
Minister of Industry and Trade.  Regarding investment 
projects, under the 2002 investment law, foreigners can own 
100 percent of the land and can execute projects without a 
Yemeni agent and without obtaining import/export license from 
the Ministry of Industry and Trade or implementing Law 23 of 
1997 (the investment law implemented in October 2002 has 
precedence over other laws).  As a practical matter, however, 
foreign establishments should plan to engage a Yemeni partner. 
 
Mortgage lending in Yemen is rare because of the 
unwillingness of the court system to uphold the payment of 
interest.  In addition, Yemen has a long history of 
incomplete or inaccurate land records and frequent land 
ownership disputes, making the use of real estate as 
collateral difficult.  While the General Survey Authority is 
working to establish a just and legally defensible land 
registry system, implementation remains some years off. 
 
----------------------------- 
Protection of Property Rights 
----------------------------- 
 
Yemen has a record of inadequate protection of intellectual 
property rights (IPR), including patents, trademarks, 
designs, and copyrights.  In late 2004 the Cabinet approved 
the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and 
Artistic Works, as well as the International Agreement on 
Protecting Intellectual Property Rights.  Parliament has yet 
to ratify these agreements.  Yemen has yet to accede to any 
international IPR conventions and its IPR Law number 19 of 
1994 is not TRIPS compliant.  Yemen's Ministry of Industry 
and Trade drafted a new patents law; trademark law, and a 
design and copyrights law, pending final adjustments the laws 
will be sent to the Cabinet and later to Parliament for final 
approval.  In continuing efforts, the Ministry of Culture and 
Tourism drafted the Related Rights Law, which awaits 
Parliament's approval.  In March 1999, Yemen became a member 
of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and is 
now revising its laws with WIPO guidance.  Yemen's 
application to join the World Trade Organization (WTO) was 
approved in July 2000 and the country gained observer status 
in 2002.  Yemen held its first working party meeting for WTO 
accession in November 2004 and will hold the second meeting 
in 2005.  As part of its accession requirements, Yemen will 
need to enact its revised IPR legislation and take concrete 
steps to enforce these laws adequately. 
 
In 1999, a large US-based multinational firm litigated 
successfully a trademark infringement case in Yemen's courts. 
 The ruling is now under appeal and the violator continues to 
infringe on the trademark despite the court ruling.  A final 
resolution was expected by the end of 2000, but it is still 
pending in the Supreme Court.  Three rulings by Primary 
Court, Appeal Court and Supreme Court were in favor of the US 
Company.  Due to the difficulty in enforcing the ruling, both 
disputing parties agreed on an amicable arbitration.  In a 
second case involving a US Company's trademark, the Appeal 
Court handed down a final ruling in April 2001 in favor of 
the US Company.  In August 2003, the Supreme Court rejected 
the appeal of the company producing the infringed products 
and ordered it to cease production and destroy the infringed 
trademark.  However, this ruling has not been enforced. 
 
--------------------------------- 
Transparency of Regulatory System 
--------------------------------- 
 
Implementation and enforcement of Yemen's environmental 
protection regulations, labor laws, customs tariff 
regulations and tax laws are inadequate and non-transparent. 
Health and safety standards are rudimentary and not enforced. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
Efficient Capital Markets and Portfolio Investment 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
In the 1990s Yemen's banking system suffered from a large 
volume of non-performing loans, inadequate loan provisioning, 
low bank capitalization, and weak enforcement of prudential 
standards.  Under a 1997 World Bank-sponsored financial 
sector reform program, the government took actions to address 
these problems.  A bank reform law was passed in 1998 to 
update, strengthen, and regulate the industry.  By 2000, the 
Central Bank of Yemen (CBY) had circulated strict regulations 
pertaining to credit risk management, liquidity, insider 
lending, foreign exchange exposure, financial leasing and 
external auditors.  Banks are required to reach a capital 
adequacy ratio of eight percent and meet new classification 
and provisioning standards for loan portfolios and most 
comply.  Nevertheless, commercial banks still suffer from 
extremely low capitalization rates and are essentially owned 
by large trading families who establish the bank to service 
their own business needs. 
 
In early 2005, the Cabinet of Ministers restructured the 
Agricultural Cooperative Credit Bank into the Rural 
Development Bank and raised its working capital to 32 million 
USD.  The new bank aims to augment the state's efforts in the 
rural local development. 
 
 
Private sector lending is constrained by a lack of judicial 
recourse to recover bad loans.  To correct this weakness, a 
steering committee produced a series of reform 
recommendations in 1999.  Among the recommendations was the 
establishment of special loan recovery courts.  The 
recommendations have not been implemented. 
 
In 1999, under the WB/IMF's financial sector reform effort, 
the government announced the merger of four 
majority-government-share banks with an eye toward 
privatizing the merged entity.  In 2004, the press speculated 
that the National Bank of Yemen was solvent and would be part 
of the merged entity.  The Yemen Bank for Reconstruction and 
Development was also restructured and likely to be part of 
the privatized bank.  The two remaining specialized banks, 
housing and agriculture, were also restructured but are not 
healthy enough to be merged to the others.  At present, the 
merger has not moved forward for any of the four 
government-owned or majority government-share banks. 
 
In June 2000, the president signed the Central Bank Law 
Number 14 granting the CBY greater independence.  Its mandate 
is to focus on price stability, limit public sector financing 
to emergency loans, adopt its own monetary and exchange rate 
policies, and enforce greater commercial bank accountability. 
 The CBY is authorized to conduct inspections of all bank 
implementation provisioning and capital increase schedules, 
and it enforces penalties and corrective measures.  In 2003, 
Parliament passed a Money Laundering Law, which the CBY has 
begun to implement and enforce. 
Inter-bank activities are limited, and there are no equity or 
bond markets.  In the recent past, the government hoped to 
establish a stock market in Yemen to promote the government's 
private sector-led growth strategy.  However, the consensus 
of most Yemeni and foreign observers is that the country 
currently lacks the expertise to establish a stock market, 
and there are not sufficient numbers of Yemeni investors to 
sustain an active stock market.  The CBY began offering 
treasury bills in December 1995.  Commercial banks purchased 
a large share of the bills, investing up to 30 percent of 
their assets.  The interest rate on T-bills was gradually 
reduced from a high of 23 percent in 1999 to about 13 percent 
in 2004 in order to encourage investment lending. 
 
------------------ 
Political Violence 
------------------ 
 
While kidnappings were halted for almost three years, 
tribesmen seeking jobs for relatives briefly kidnapped an 
Australian citizen in August 2004.  Kidnappings of foreigners 
have occurred sporadically since the 1970s.  Some tribal 
groups have used hostage taking to put pressure on the 
government to obtain projects or services, or to focus 
government attention on the redress of grievances.  Victims 
have included foreign businessmen, diplomats, aid workers and 
tourists.  Historically, most were treated well and released 
unharmed after two to three days, although some were held as 
long as four weeks.  A botched rescue attempt during a May 
2000 kidnapping of a Norwegian citizen resulted in his death. 
 Tribal kidnappings of foreigners have declined significantly 
since 1998 as a result of capital penalties enacted by the 
Yemeni government. 
 
In December 1998 16 foreign tourists were kidnapped in Abyan 
Governorate Four died during a government rescue attempt, at 
least two of those at the hands of the kidnappers.  Islamic 
extremists were responsible for this kidnapping.  The 
kidnappers were tried, found guilty of murder, and sentenced. 
 The Yemeni national who led the kidnapping was sentenced to 
death under the anti-kidnapping law of 1998; he was executed 
in October 1999.    In late December 2002, three American 
doctors were killed near the city of Ibb; the perpetrator was 
caught, convicted and sentenced to death. 
 
Some tribal elements hijack automobiles or other expensive 
equipment owned by foreign companies as a means to pressure 
the government to accede to their demands.  This occurs most 
frequently in areas of oil and mineral extraction, with some 
tribes in these regions claiming they are not getting their 
share of the wealth.  Investors in such ventures should be 
sensitive to the need to build community relations. 
Provision of community-based services, such as healthcare and 
education, has contributed toward protecting investments in 
isolated areas. 
 
The October 2000 attack on the USS COLE in Aden harbor in 
which 17 US servicemen and women were killed, and the October 
2002 bombing of a French oil tanker the M/V Limburg off the 
coast of Mukalla were acts of international terrorism. 
 
In 2004, the government put down an armed rebellion in the 
northern Sa'ada governorate where an anti-American Shiite 
cleric lead an uprising against government troops lasting 
over three months.  The Zaidi conflict ended when the rebel 
leader al-Houthi was killed in August. 
 
The Republic of Yemen Government and the United States 
cooperate closely on counter-terrorism. 
 
---------- 
Corruption 
---------- 
 
In 2004, Yemen's Transparency International corruption score 
dropped for 88th to 112th place out of 145 countries.  One of 
the poorest countries in the world with a hugely overstaffed 
and underpaid civil service, Yemen has a significant and 
widely acknowledged corruption problem.  Illicit activities 
include soliciting and paying bribes to facilitating or 
obstructing projects, leveraging dispute settlements, skewing 
taxation and customs tariff augmentations, and engaging in 
family or tribal nepotism.  The government recognizes that it 
must enact civil service and administrative reforms to create 
new disincentives to corruption.  In 2003, a new Minister of 
Civil Service was appointed who initiated several programs to 
improve the civil service.  In September 2004, the Cabinet 
approved the United Nations' Convention combating different 
forms of corruption. 
------------------------------- 
Bilateral Investment Agreements 
------------------------------- 
 
The US and Yemen signed a Trade Investment Framework 
Agreement in 2004.  According to the General Investment 
Authority, Yemen signed three agreements in 2003 and one in 
2004s, bringing the total bilateral treaties to 35.  Yemen 
has bilateral investment treaties with Algeria, Austria, 
Bahrain, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, China, Djibouti, Egypt, 
Ethiopia, France, Federation of Russia, Germany, Hungary, 
India, Indonesia, Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Malaysia, 
Morocco, the Netherlands, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, South 
Africa, Sudan Sweden, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, the UAE, 
Ukraine, and the United Kingdom.  Yemen has initialed 
agreements with Croatia, Mongolia, and Romania. 
 
-------------------------------------------- 
OPIC and Other Investment Insurance Programs 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
Yemen and the United States signed an investment guarantee 
agreement in 1972.  As of October 1997, OPIC and EXIM Bank 
provide guarantees for both private and public sector 
projects of short and medium duration (up to seven years). 
Yemen is a member of the Multilateral Investment Guarantee 
Agency (MIGA). 
 
----- 
Labor 
----- 
 
The Yemeni government generally follows International Labor 
Organization (ILO) standards regarding labor laws and worker 
rights.  In 1999 it ratified ILO conventions on the 
elimination of the worst forms of child labor and the minimum 
work age for employment.  As in other areas, enforcement of 
labor laws is weak.  Child labor is an issue of special 
concern.  Most children work with their families in 
agriculture, although an increasing number are being sent out 
to work in shops and restaurants.  To address this issue, the 
government signed an agreement to cooperate with the 
International Program on Elimination of Child Labor (IPEC) in 
¶2000.  After ratification of the ILO, the government 
established the Child Labor Unit at the Ministry of Labor to 
implement and enforce child labor laws and regulations. 
Investors find the local pool of skilled labor for technology 
intensive ventures limited. 
 
Yemen's overall illiteracy rate for persons age 15 and older 
is 50 percent (World Bank, September 2004), 28 percent for 
men and 68 percent for women.  Given the return of thousands 
of unskilled and semi-skilled Yemeni laborers from Saudi 
Arabia, Kuwait and other Gulf states during the 1990-1991 
Gulf war, Yemen's unemployment rate stands at about 35 
percent.  Those who complete secondary education and 
university studies in Yemen often do not possess the same 
professional standards as their counterparts from Western 
educational institutions.  University graduates also 
experience difficulty finding appropriate employment and are 
sometimes unwilling to accept lower skilled jobs.  The 
government is beginning to focus on increasing access to and 
improving the quality of vocational training as a means to 
develop a cadre of skilled laborers in high demand fields, 
including construction workers, electricians, plumbers and 
carpenters. 
 
------------------------------ 
Foreign-Trade Zones/Free Ports 
------------------------------ 
 
The Yemen Free Zone Public Authority was established in 1991 
to develop the Aden Free Zone.  Yeminvest, a joint venture 
between the Port of Singapore Authority (PSA) and the Bin 
Mohfoud Group of Saudi Arabia, was awarded the concession to 
develop the area.  The government bought out the Yeminvest 
contract in October 2003 and Overseas Port Management is 
temporarily operating the Aden Container Terminal.  The 
government is presently reviewing tenders for a new operator 
for the ACT and the announcement is expected to occur this 
year.  The Ministry of Transport is now the contact point for 
offers from International operators to manage the Aden 
Container Terminal (ACT).  Opened in September 1999, ACT 
logged steady growth through 2001.  The October 2002 
terrorist attack on the French oil tanker M/V Limburg caused 
shipping insurance premiums to raise 300 percent.  As a 
result, ships were diverted to the ports of Djibouti and 
Salalah in Oman.  Since the summer of 2003, shipping 
insurance premiums have begun to drop yet by year's end 2004, 
they still have not dropped to zero percent, as is standard 
in Dubai and other nearby ports. Insurance premiums were 
reduced in late July 2004 to 0.009375 percent of the ships' 
value and 0.03 percent for oil tankers.  A further discount 
of 20 percent of the premium is granted to ships carrying out 
three or more journeys a month to Yemen's ports, representing 
the lowest rates since the 9/11 attacks.  The port mainly 
serves as a transshipment hub, but attempts are being made to 
increase the percentage of the local cargo through the 
development of the industrial and warehousing estate. 
 
In its first phase of development, ACT planned to handle up 
to 1 million Twenty-feet Equivalent Units (TEUs) annually on 
its two-berth, 700m quay.  Those plans have been scaled back, 
and current capacity is 650,000 TEUs annually.  The 35 
hectare container yard can store 10,000 boxes.  Yemen Ports 
Authority constructed a new 270-meter long and 12 meter deep 
dock assigned for unpacking the wheat-loaded vessels.  The 
dock will alleviate burdens of the other seven docks in the 
port. 
 
A industrial and warehousing estate called Aden District Park 
(ADP) was launched in November 2002.  The Aden Container 
Terminal and the Aden Free Zone are promising areas for 
investment.  Opportunities in light industry, repackaging and 
storage/distribution operations are welcomed.  Future plans 
include development of heavy industry and more extensive 
tourist facilities in the greater Aden area. 
 
Free zone incentives include 100 percent foreign ownership, 
no personal income taxes for non-Yemenis, and a corporate tax 
holiday for 15 years (renewable for 10 additional years), 100 
percent repatriation of capital and profits, no currency 
restrictions, and no restrictions on, or sponsoring required, 
for the employment of foreign staff.  Aden's main selling 
point is its strategic location - nine days steaming from 
Europe and seven from Singapore.  It is four nautical miles 
off the main Far East - Europe sea route. For further 
information, contact: Free Zones Public Authority (AFZPA), 
(Main Center) P.O. Box 5842 Khormaksar, Aden, Republic Of 
Yemen, Telephones: 967-2-234484/5/6, Fax: 967-2-235-637, 
e-mail: Adenfz@Y.Net.Ye; Website:  Www.Aden-Freezone.Com 
 
In May 2001, a new terminal at Aden International Airport was 
officially opened.  In addition, a study was completed in 
August 2001 for future plans for the airport to include a 
duty free zone and cargo village to facilitate transit trade 
with the Aden Free Zone port facilities.  The Aden Free Zone 
Authority is looking for a company to build and operate the 
cargo village.  Yemen Free Zones Public Authority (YFZPA) 
intends to supervise the cargo village, though the YFZPA has 
not received the land to date. 
 
------------------------------------ 
Foreign Direct Investment Statistics                        ) 
------------------------------------ 
 
Yemen produces no reliable statistics on foreign direct 
investment.  Most US investment in Yemen is in oil 
exploration, production and oil field services. 
 
------------- 
Web Resources 
------------- 
 
United States Embassy in Sanaa, Yemen 
http://usembassy.state.gov/yemen/ 
 
The US Embassy website provides latest embassy news, reports, 
travel warnings, visa information, programs and events. 
 
Export.gov 
http://www.export.gov/ 
 
Export.gov provides online trade resources and one-on-one 
assistance for American businesses who would like to start or 
expand global sales. 
 
(End Text) 
Krajeski