US embassy cable - 05SANAA2796

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 SANAA 002796 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/18/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PTER, MASS, ENRG, KMPI, YM, MARITIME SECURITY, ECON/COM, DOMESTIC POLITICS 
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S VISIT TO MUKALLA SPARKS REQUESTS FOR 
GREATER COOPERATION 
 
REF: SANAA 2531 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Thomas Krajeski for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1.  (C) Summary: On September 12-13, Ambassador visited the 
Hadramaut governorate capital and port city of Mukalla.  In 
meetings with the Deputy Commander of the Eastern Military 
Region, university faculty, NGO activists and political and 
business leaders, Ambassador was repeatedly urged to increase 
USG assistance to the region's institutions.  End Summary. 
 
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Deputy Governor Ba Yameen: Hadramaut Open For Business 
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2. (U) Welcoming the Ambassador to Mukalla, newly appointed 
Deputy Hadramaut Governor Sa'eed Ba Yameen, said that the 
recent flurry of investment in his developing governorate 
came not only from the often cited influx of capital from 
expatriated Hadrimis, but from all sectors of society, 
particularly private business.  He encouraged Ambassador to 
push for US investment in the region noting that Mukalla was 
a "very new city open to all kinds of investment." 
 
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Deputy Area Commander Tahary: We Support The Coast Guard 
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3. (C)  In his meeting with Deputy Commander of the Eastern 
Military Region, BG Naser Al-Thahry and his regional military 
staff, Ambassador noted that in addition to assisting the 
Yemeni Coast Guard (YCG) establish a new base in Hadramaut, 
the USG wished to strengthen ties with the Yemeni Navy and 
other MOD forces in the region.  In response, BG Tahary told 
Ambassador that the ROYG, MOD and his office were fully in 
favor of expanding the YCG to the Hadramaut. (Reftel).  "We 
need to fight terror, drugs and smuggling," he noted, "and we 
want a strong Coast Guard to accomplish this."  The Deputy 
Commander also said that an increase in cooperation between 
Saudi Arabia and other Horn of Africa (HOA) countries would 
benefit Yemen and the United States.  DATT, who was 
accompanying Ambassador, added that the US military looked 
forward to expanding ties with the Eastern Region. 
 
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University of Science and Technology: Partnerships Key 
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4. (U)  After touring the Hadramaut Science and Technology 
University's (HSTU) new campus, the Ambassador spoke with 
over 50 faculty members about the University's challenges and 
needs.  University President, Dr. Ahmad Ba Mashmous, said 
that his institution was more interested in partnerships with 
US universities and businesses than USG funding.  He 
speculated that this could garner private US investment in 
the university (considered by many to be Yemen's premier 
Science faculty) and help the approximately 8,000 HSTU 
graduates find work.  "We will pay the tuition, but please 
help us open the channels with your institutions," pleaded Ba 
Mashmous. 
 
5. (U) Abdullah Mohammed Ba Haroun, President of the 
Sufi-oriented Al-Ahqaf University, added that partnerships 
with businesses could steer graduates to the private sector 
instead of the more common choice, the bloated government 
work force  Both men revealed that in order to facilitate 
partnerships, they were developing an accreditation process 
to allow foreign universities to properly review their 
institutions and students. 
 
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Yemeni Women's Union: We Need Support 
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6. (SBU) At the Yemeni Women's Union (YWU) Ambassador asked 
the more than 30 members whether or not they supported a 
woman's quota in the next local council and parliamentary 
elections.  Chairwoman Salma al-Kathiri explained that her 
group endorsed a 30% women's quota in Local Council seats. 
Sa'eeda Shima', head of the Hadramaut YSP political party 
women's committee, and member Salma al Ghazi, head of legal 
programming, both explained that a quota was necessary to 
counter the lack of political will to empower women. 
 
7. (SBU) The conversation quickly shifted to repeated calls 
for USG support.  Ghazi explained that YWU is only able to 
get financial support from the Governor's Office and proceeds 
from selling handicrafts.  The group noted that they needed 
help with a new facility as well as funding to continue 
programs in literacy, women's health awareness, women 
prisoner's rights, and legal aid.  Another member added that 
many in the group would be interested in attending US 
sponsored training.  Ambassador promised to work with the YWU 
to identify possible US funding sources and expand US-YWU 
cooperation. 
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Livestock Quarantine: Increasing Capacity 
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8. (SBU)  At the Mukalla Livestock Quarantine, run by the 
Ministry of Agriculture, Director Mohammed Faraj Abdoun 
informed Ambassador that the center could not keep up with 
the increased trade in sheep, goats and camels.  The animals 
are imported from Somalia and held at the center before being 
allowed into the Yemeni and Arab Gulf markets.  He asked 
Ambassador and USAID AgOff for US funding for an expansion of 
the center and an on-site animal testing unit.  Testing 
samples, he noted, are currently sent to a central lab in 
Sanaa, which means animals must be held for weeks before 
being cleared.  Ambassador indicated that he would work with 
USAID to see if there was a possibility to address the 
situation, but noted that USAID's mandate does not currently 
fund such projects in Hadramaut. 
 
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Chamber of Commerce: Access to US Markets 
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9. (U) At the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, members 
called for ways to access the US market.  Members belonging 
to the fisheries industry noted that although their companies 
had the physical capacity to supply the United States with 
their product and could meet US food product standards as 
easily as they achieved EU standards, they needed help 
understanding US import requirements.  Dietmar Alker, Advisor 
to the Chamber, added that many Hadrimi businessmen were 
afraid to travel to the US because of stricter security 
procedures.  Ambassador answered that DHS has developed 
services to streamline travel to the US and that post would 
do everything it could to assist those wanting to travel to 
the US for business. 
 
10. (C) Comment: Concerning expansion of the YCG, 
Ambassador's visit provided effective follow up to the DCM's 
trip just two weeks earlier. (reftel).  Al-Thahry's positive 
response is encouraging but, given the known opposition of 
his powerful boss, BG Mohammed Ali Muhsen, should be taken 
with caution at this point.  The other meetings offered 
several prospects to help the civil, business and academic 
communities and increase US visibility, in a vital, yet often 
neglected, part of the country.  End Comment. 
 
 
Krajeski