FRIENDS OF YEMEN GROUP MEETS TODAY IN ABU DHABI

SANA'A, March 29 (Saba) - The meeting of Friends of Yemen group
starts today in Abu Dhabi with twenty countries expected at it
including Germany, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Egypt,
Spain, the Netherlands, Turkey, Russia and France.

The two-day meeting will address issues related to good governance
and development in the country in the light of the recommendations
of the January 27 Summit in London.

Representatives from the GCC Secretariat General, the EU, the UN,
the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development and Khalifa Association
Charitable Foundation will attend as well.

A minimeeting will be held ahead of the main meeting of the group
that will bring together Britain, the U.S., the United Arab Emirates
and Yemen.

Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, Minister for Planning
and International Cooperation, Abdul Karim Al-Arhabi, said on Sunday
the meeting would address challenges facing Yemen and the best ways
for active donor role to help the country.

Moreover, it will deal with the mechanism of the group's operation
according to priorities.

Friends of Yemen Group was announced during the London summit to
help Yemen face Al-Qaeda after Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula
claimed responsibility for the foiled attack on Christmas Day on a
U.S.-bound airplane.

MD/FR