A delegation of 40 Malaysian businessmen and investors will visit Yemen next December seeking to boost Yemeni-Malaysian investment cooperation.
Yemeni ambassador to Malaysia Abdullah al-Mountaser met Wednesday with the chairman of the Malaysian Chamber of Commerce and Industry to discuss the visit's arrangements.
The Malaysian Official emphasized his country's eagerness to strengthen economic relations between the two countries, and expressed their readiness to begin a $10 million investment project in Mukalla.
Al-Mountaser has held several meetings with Malaysian businessmen in previous months, discussing with them investment opportunities and Yemen’s desire to encourage investments in industry, tourism, energy and infrastructure.
The Malaysian delegation's visit is to coincide with the Yemeni Industries Conference, which will be attended by former Malaysian Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohammed.
On a similar note, the Minister of Local Administration Abdul-Qader Hilal received on Wednesday an invitation from Malaysian Minister of Housing and Local Government Ong Kating to share in Malaysia’s expertise with local government.
Hilal discussed the issue with the Malaysian ambassador to Yemen, Abdul-Samad Othman. The ambassador handed him the invitation to visit to Malaysia, which included statements about the need for cooperation between the two countries in the fields of administration and local governance, and an offer to share Malaysian experience.
The minister highlighted the unique nature of the Yemeni-Malaysian relationship, which began during early years of Islam. He praised the ambassador's efforts at developing relations between the two countries, and pointed to President Saleh's call for Malaysian investors to invest in Yemen.
He indicated Yemen's transformation into a system of wider local governance, noting that his ministry will soon issue the National Strategy for Local Governance.
For his part, the ambassador asserted his country's support for Yemen's intentions to boost decentralization, noting that there is a high degree of similarity between the local authority systems in both countries.
Malaysian businessmen to visit Yemen
Yemen Observer, Yemen
