Yemen will be officially ready to apply for membership in the World Trade Organization (WTO) by the end of March 2002, Minister of Industry and Commerce Abdul-Rahman Ali Uthman told Al-Hayat. Nevertheless, Yemeni officials believe that their country will not become an official member in the WTO before 2005.
The national committee, which was commissioned with preparing the application for membership to the WTO, has completed 90 percent of the work and the rest is expected to be completed by the end of this year.
In April 2000, Yemen obtained supervisor status from the WTO, which enabled the country to receive technical aid to re-shape its tax and trade laws. However, Yemen has not yet submitted a Memorandum on the Foreign Trade Regime. The Working Party established by the General Council in July 2000, has not yet met. — (Mena Report)
© 2001 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
