Japanese aid to Yemen stands at US $66 million since beginning of this year

A Yemeni official source in Sanaa said on Thursday that Yemen, considered one of the poorest countries in the world, has received some 17 donations from Japan since December 1997, estimated at a value of US $66 million.

The source added that the Japanese government offered its seventeenth donation to Yemen on Thursday, estimated at US $5.4 million, bringing total donations offered by Japan to Yemen since the beginning of this year to US $66.2 million.

The last donation will be earmarked for several agricultural projects aiming at increasing food production.

The Yemeni government is carrying out a structural economic reform program under the patronage of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. The reforms include canceling government's support for the prices of various commodities, converting public sector companies to private companied and alleviating bureaucracy.