US embassy cable - 04SANAA1178

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SANAA 001178 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR EDSON 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON, EFIN, EAID, PGOV, YM, ECON/COM 
SUBJECT: DPM SOFAN: YEMEN WILLING TO HOST PROPOSED G-8 
MICROFINANCE PILOT PROGRAM 
 
REF: EDSON/SOFAN MAY 6 FAX 
 
1.(u) Post received letters at para 3 from Deputy Prime 
Minister Sofan on May 15 officially accepting Yemen's 
proposed role as host to a microfinance pilot program.  Post 
faxed the letters to NEA/ARP and continues to try faxing the 
NSC. 
 
2.(u) On 5/16 FM Qirbi told the Ambassador (other topics 
reported septel) that the ROYG is very pleased with the 
microfinance initiative. 
 
3.(u) Embassy Sanaa point of contact for this initiative is 
Pol/Econ officer Jill Hutchings, who can be contacted at the 
following phone numbers:  Embassy:  (967) (1) 303-155 
extension 2156, cell phone (967) 7329-2603.  Her e-mail 
addresses are:  classified: HutchingsJE2@state.sgov.gov; 
unclassified: Hutchingsje@state.gov.  The number for 
 
SIPDIS 
emergencies only is (967) (1) 303-166 (Post One). 
 
4.(u) Text regarding above referenced letters: 
 
BEGIN TEXT 
 
REPUBLIC OF YEMEN 
Ministry Of Planning & 
International Cooperation 
Minister 
 
Sana'a, May 15, 2004 
 
Mr. Edmund J. HULL 
US Ambassador 
Sana'a - YEMEN 
 
Ref. Subject:  The GMEI and the G-8's Proposed Pilot 
Microfinance Program in Yemen 
 
Dear Edmund, 
 
I am attaching a letter to Mr. Gary R. EDSON, the Deputy 
Assistant to the President for International Economic Affairs 
and Deputy National Security Advisor on the above subject. 
 
I would appreciate if the Embassy would convey the official 
letter to Mr. EDSON.  With my best wishes. 
 
Sincerely, 
 
Ahmed M. SOFAN 
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Planning & Intl. 
Cooperation 
Sana'a - YEMEN 
 
---------------------------- 
---------------------------- 
REPUBLIC OF YEMEN 
Ministry Of Planning & 
International Cooperation 
   Minister 
 
Ref: 
Date: 
  Sana'a, May 15, 2004 
 
Mr. Gary R. EDSON 
Deputy Assistant to the President for International Economic 
Affairs 
And Deputy National Security Advisor 
White House 
Washington, DC 
 
Ref. Subject:  The GMEI and the G-8's Proposed Pilot 
Microfinance Program in Yemen 
 
Dear Mr. EDSON, 
 
Thank you for your letter of May 6, 2004 on the above 
subject.  I am pleased to inform you that Yemen welcomes the 
Greater Middle East Initiative (GMEI) and express our 
willingness to host a pilot program of the G-8's proposed 
microfinance initiative within the Greater Middle East 
region. 
 
Yemen is also willing to participate in the proposed "Forum 
of the Future" which would bring together officials from the 
G-8 and regional ministers of Finance, Trade and Foreign 
Affairs. 
 
As I conveyed to you in our last meeting in Washington and in 
the conversation we had earlier last week, Yemen has since 
the mid-1990s embarked on a rigorous program of reforms 
across socio-economic and political fronts, that received the 
respect and admiration of the international community but 
with little development assistance. 
 
Despite progress on reforms, Yemen has a long way to go in 
terms of achieving long-term economic growth and sustainable 
employment and poverty reduction.  Yemen has increasing trust 
that the international community and Washington in particular 
would now consider enhanced development aid to assist Yemen 
maintain the reform process and provide much needed financing 
to confront socio-economic challenges.  Yemen remains one of 
the least ODA recipient countries among LDCs. 
 
 
Again, it is our understanding that US-led initiatives would 
eventually contribute towards addressing the region's 
economic and social needs in a more positive way. 
 
We trust your support and look forward to working together on 
making this pilot exercise a model in our part of the world. 
Best regards. 
 
Sincerely, 
 
Ahmed M. SOFAN 
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Planning & Intl. 
Cooperation 
Sana'a - YEMEN 
 
 
Ministry Website:  www.mpic-yemen.org 
END TEXT 
 
HULL