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Federal Government welcomes start of National Dialogue in Yemen
Against the backdrop of the National Dialogue in Yemen, starting today (18 March), a Federal Foreign Office spokesperson issued the following statement in Berlin:
The Federal Government expressly welcomes the fact that today, with the start of the National Dialogue, a further important step is being taken towards resolving the political crisis in Yemen. Now it is crucial that all participants engage in constructive cooperation to find solutions to the enormous challenges they face.
The Federal Government is doing everything in its power to support the transformation process pursued by President Hadi. At the Yemen conference in London, Federal Foreign Minister Westerwelle underlined that Germany would continue to make a key contribution to stabilizing the political situation in Yemen.
In Sana’a today, the 565 participants will convene for the first time, with President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi as chair. A large number of important issues are on the agenda, including the future constitution and the many years of conflicts within the country, e.g. the situation in the south.
Foreign Minister Westerwelle attended the meeting of the Friends of Yemen in London on 7 March and promised an additional 1.5 million euros from the Federal Government to support the reconciliation dialogue. For 2011 and 2012, the German Government already provided 120 million euros in development and reconstruction aid.
President Hadi visited Berlin in October 2012, where he held talks with the Chancellor and others.
