TRADE FESTIVAL TO HELP EXPAND BUSINESS RELATIONS BETWEEN MALAYSIA AND YEMEN

From Mohd Iswandi Kasan Anuar


SANA'A, March 18 (Bernama) -- The government is confident that the
Malaysia-Yemen Festival 2010 (MYF2010) being held here will be a catalyst for
the expanding trade relations between Yemen and Malaysia, said Minister of
International Trade and Industry (MITI) Mustapa Mohamed.

There are still vast opportunities in the Yemen market for Malaysian
businessmen to tap into and make Yemen a gateway for the bigger and growing East
African and Arabian Peninsula markets, the minister said in his Message in the
MYF2010 trade booklet distributed here.

The trade fair, officially opened by Yemen Prime Minister Ali Mohammed
Mujawwar today, has 47 Malaysian companies showcasing their products and
services at the Apollo International Exhibition Centre here until March 20.

"Similarly, there are also a lot of opportunities for Yemeni businessmen to
invest in Malaysia and make Malaysia a gateway for Yemen's products to
penetrate the bigger South East Asia market," Mustapa said.

Malaysia's trade with Yemen is currently at only US$400 million compared
with US$350 million in 2008, but this is still a significant increase by 10
folds from the mere US$40 million in 1990, he said.

He also expressed hope that a similar exhibition will be organised by Yemen
in Malaysia in the near future.

As for the Malaysian companies participating in the fair, they come from
various fields ranging from construction, property, food, oil and gas,
automotive, education, tourism, manufacturing, research and development, and
services.

Also present at Wednesday's opening were Yemen Minister of Industry and
Trade Dr Yahya Al-Mutawakkel, the Malaysian Ambassador to Yemen, Abdul Samad
Othman, the National Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia Chairman Syed
Ali Al Attas, Federation of Yemen Chambers of Commerce Chairman Mohammed Abdu
Saeed An'am and MYF2010 Chairman Syed Hussein Al Habshi.

The MYF2010 was organised by the Malaysian Malay Chamber of Commerce (DPMM)
and GIA, the Yemeni government department which is responsible for developing
and supporting business investments in Yemen.

It is supported by the Embassy of the Republic of Yemen in Malaysia, the
Yemen Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Ministry of Trade Yemen, the Embassy of
Malaysia in Sana'a, the Malaysian Industrial Development Authority and Malaysia
External Trade Development Corporation.

"We want to assist Malaysian entrepreneurs, especially the small and medium
enterprises to penetrate the promising and rising business sector in Yemen,
while promoting Malaysia-made products and create a platform for mutual
cooperation and understanding in trade relations between both countries," said
DPMM president and also head of the delegation, Syed Ali.

He said Yemen had great market potential for Malaysian entrepreneurs with
its industrial sector expected to witness tremendous growth in the coming
years while being strategically located, and with readily available raw
materials and an inexpensive labour force.

-- BERNAMA