Italy to prop up efforts to upgrade coastguard capacity

SANA'A, Jan. 21 (Saba) - Italy confirmed on Wednesday its readiness
to prop up the government's efforts to upgrade coastguard capacity.

Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Abdul Karim
al-Arhabi held talks with the Italian mission to evaluate the first
phase of Yemeni coastguard development project.

Al-Arhabi expressed the Government's appreciation of the Italian
support in this regard, affirming its keenness on strengthening the
coastguard capacity to be able to carry out its vital role in
protecting the Yemeni coastline as well as fighting against piracy
in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

The meeting also reviewed what has been achieved in the first stage
of the Vessel Traffic System (VTS) funded by the Italian government,
as well as the possibility to fund the second phase of the project.