Economy resources must be diversified

(L-R) Al-Janad, al-Mutawakel and al-Molesi talk about the economic values of construction and ornamental stones.

Exploitation of promising sectors to diversify structure of national economy is essential to reduce dependence on oil as a major resource of exports, Minster of Trade and Industry Dr. Yahya al- Mutawakel said during launch of workshop on development of exports of construction and ornamental stones, organized by Yemen Export Supreme Council (YESC) in cooperation with the Geological Survey and Mineral Resources Board (GSMRB) last Monday.

“Construction and ornamental stones sector is one of the promising sectors which the national economy would rely on due to create job opportunities,” al- Mutawakel said, confirming the government’s keenness to develop this sector including solving all the problems and obstacles facing investors.

“It is important to focus on competitiveness in this sector because of its high demand locally and externally. Thus, exploiting this sector has to be by modern technology,” al-Mutawakel added. “There is an integrative role among the government and private sector to develop building and ornamental stones sector in the light of private sector is the leader of development.”

Yemen has a large stockpile of stones, mainly construction and ornamental stones of marble and granite, better than many countries in terms of quality and variety of colors, according to Dr. Ismail al-Janad, head of the Yemen Geological Survey and Mineral Resources Board. “Yemeni marble and granite has more than 10-15 colors which form a good feature rarely found anywhere else.” 

Improvement of this sector depends on establishing of infrastructure which form setting up the railway to facilitate the transportation costs, al-Janad said.
The objective of the workshop to review the current status of production and marketing of natural stone in Yemen and future vision to get solutions for development this sector in terms of production and export, said the Secretary General of Yemen Export Supreme Council, Noman al-Molesi. 

Al-Molesi also said that all studies and economic indicators affirm existence of huge potential and diversity of geological of numerous of minerals and stones.
He stressed the importance of developing Yemeni exports of these resources  by exporting stones by mean the governmental sector, private or cooperative.

The participants discussed three working papers; the first on the current status of natural stone in Yemen and future vision provided by the Geological Survey and Mineral Resources Board, the second on the competitive development of exports of building and ornamental stones in Yemen submitted by Yemen Export Supreme Council, the third one offered by association of producers and exporters of marble and granite, which reviewed the association vision to develop this sector.

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