New York summit to address Yemeni challenges

United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen issued Thursday a joint statement and agreed to hold a ministerial meeting between the Yemeni Government and Friends of Yemen on Friday 24th of September in New York, the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office said Wednesday.
 
The meeting will review progress since the high-level meeting in London in January as well as direct future work of the Friends of Yemen and give new momentum and support to key areas of reform. According to the joint statement the meeting will prepare for a ministerial meeting in Riyadh in December 2010 or January 2011.
 
The British, Saudi and Yemeni Governments agree that the meeting should receive reports from the Friends of Yemen that focus on supporting the political process through a comprehensive national dialogue, leading to free and fair multi-party parliamentary elections in the spring of 2011.

Economic issues, according to the joint statement, would address how to continue financial assistance to Yemen through a program backed by the International Monetary Fund.
 
The meeting will review new mechanisms for longer term international funding for Yemen’s development needs, consistent with Yemeni priorities and progress on reforms.
 
The meeting will review commitments to support the integrity of Yemen’s borders, including its maritime security as well as international action to support Yemen’s cross-Government efforts to tackle extremism and radicalization.
 
Based on the joint statement, the meeting will also approve a date for a Riyadh ministerial meeting of the Friends of Yemen, following a Consultative Group meeting to launch Yemen’s new Development Plan for Poverty Reduction (DPPR) which will prioritize Yemen’s development needs and enable donors to align their support, establish financial and technical commitments and review the implementation of development programs and economic assistance.

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