EU, WB offer grants worth $ 53 mln, €18 mln to Yemen

SANA'A, March 17 (Saba) - Three
finance agreements worth $53 million and €18.3 million were signed here on Tuesday
between
Yemen and each of European Union (EU) and the World Bank (WB).
The finance agreements signed by Minister of Planning and International Cooperation
Abdul Karim al-Arhabi and EU's ambassador in Sana'a Michele Cervone and Director of
the
WB's office in Sana'a Ateng Benson, included the areas of local development, social
welfare, rural roads and higher education.
The first agreement stipulated that the EU presents an addition grant worth € 18.3
million, to be devoted for funding projects in the areas of local development and
the
employment-intensive projects under the management of the WB and to finance the cash
transfer program for the poor through the Social Welfare Fund, which will serve
about
41 thousand beneficiaries.
The second agreement signed by al-Arhabi and Benson stipulated that the WB offers
an addition grant of $40 million to help to financing of the second phase of the
rural
roads project and to allocate $12 million out of the grant value to support the
Roads Maintenance Fund , which will serve about 450 thousands beneficiaries.
The third agreement stipulated that the WB gives a finance grant worth $ 13
million, to be dedicated to contribute to developing the quality of higher
education through
the establishment of a fund to finance university programs.
After signing the agreements, al-Arhabi voiced the Yemeni government's appreciation
for the EU and WB contributions to support and enhance the government efforts
aiming
to reducing poverty and creating job opportunities.
He pointed that the European support to the Social Welfare Fund and the social
security network comes within the framework of the fruitful cooperation between
Yemen and
the EU and the WB in this regard.
For his part, the EU ambassador pointed out the EU's support for the social
security net is a part of the EU's ongoing support to alleviate the suffering of
the poorest
communities in Yemen.
Whereas the WB's official affirmed that the signed agreements comes within the
Bank's keenness to continue to support development in Yemen.
BA