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IMF Expects Yemen to Achieve 2% Economic Growth

The IMF warned that humanitarian assistance continues to fall short of Yemen’s needs. (Photo: EPA)
The IMF warned that humanitarian assistance continues to fall short of Yemen’s needs. (Photo: EPA)
    Aden - Mohammed Nasser
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IMF Expects Yemen to Achieve 2% Economic Growth

The IMF warned that humanitarian assistance continues to fall short of Yemen’s needs. (Photo: EPA)
The IMF warned that humanitarian assistance continues to fall short of Yemen’s needs. (Photo: EPA)

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission expected that Yemen would achieve a modest economic growth of about two percent this year and 3.2 percent in 2023.

However, the Fund called for more reforms, especially with regard to the customs dollar rate, support for the electricity sector, transparency in financial management, and accountability in the use of scarce financial resources.

The announcement came at the end of a visit by an IMF team, headed by Brett Rayner, to Jordan, that met with representatives of the Yemeni government, from Sept. 27 to Oct. 6.

Discussions covered recent economic developments in Yemen, the outlook, and progress on key reforms, a statement read.

“Higher global commodity prices have compounded inflationary pressures and exacerbated food insecurity. Annual inflation in August was estimated at around 45 percent, with food inflation at around 58 percent. Yemen has also faced a decline in wheat import volumes and has been unable to fully substitute for imports from Russia and Ukraine, which constituted around 40 percent of Yemen’s wheat,” the statement quoted Rayner as saying.

The IMF warned that humanitarian assistance continued to fall short of Yemen’s needs, saying: “As a result, food insecurity is on the rise with the UN projecting the number of people in need of humanitarian assistance to reach 23.4 million by end-2022, with 19 million facing acute food insecurity.”

On the other hand, the IMF pointed to “some encouraging developments” that have paved the way to greater macroeconomic stability.

“In particular, the truce has supported a period of relative calm, including reduced conflict casualties and greater exchange rate stability,” the statement underlined.

It continued: “Looking ahead, a more stable exchange rate and the recent decline in global food prices are expected to translate into lower inflation towards the end of the year. Economic output is expected to broadly stabilize with modest economic growth of around 2 percent in 2022 and 3.2 percent in 2023, albeit with considerable uncertainty regarding the evolution of the conflict and availability of external financing.”

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Arab World

Syrian Detainees Held in Iraq Return to Spotlight After Zaidan’s Damascus Visit

Syrian security forces at the entrance to al-Hol camp before its evacuation. (EPA file photo)
Syrian security forces at the entrance to al-Hol camp before its evacuation. (EPA file photo)
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Syrian Detainees Held in Iraq Return to Spotlight After Zaidan’s Damascus Visit

Syrian security forces at the entrance to al-Hol camp before its evacuation. (EPA file photo)
Syrian security forces at the entrance to al-Hol camp before its evacuation. (EPA file photo)

The fate of Syrian detainees transferred to Iraq from prisons formerly run by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) has returned to the spotlight following a visit by Iraq’s Supreme Judicial Council President Judge Faiq Zaidan to Damascus on Thursday, where talks with Syrian officials, including President Ahmed al-Sharaa, focused on their cases.

Relatives of some detainees accused of belonging to ISIS insist they had no ties to the group and were arrested by the SDF over politically motivated allegations, including opposition to ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

They renewed calls for their return to Syria, a review of the charges against them and the release of those whose guilt cannot be established.

Ibrahim Abbas, from the al-Dhahiriya village east of Qamishli in the Hasakeh province, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the SDF arrested his nephews, Abdul-Azim Ahmed and Alaa al-Din Hassan al-Abbas, in 2017 because of their opposition to Assad.

Abbas, a member of the Arab Zuweid tribe, maintained that neither of the men had any connection to ISIS.

Relatives had been allowed to visit them regularly at al-Malikiyah prison before they were abruptly transferred to Qamishli prison, he revealed.

When the international coalition requested lists of ISIS prisoners for transfer to Iraq, the SDF included both men.

“They were 20 years old when they were arrested and are now nearly 30,” Abbas said, calling for their return to Syria and fresh investigations.

Those proven to have belonged to ISIS should be prosecuted, he added, while those against whom no evidence is found should be released.

In mid-February, Iraq’s Justice Ministry published the nationalities of ISIS prisoners transferred from detention facilities in northern Syria formerly run by the SDF to Iraq in a US Central Command-led operation. The number of Syrians transferred totaled 3,543.

Syrian activist Suheb al-Yaarobi said coordination between Damascus and Baghdad over the detainees’ return had been advancing before it was disrupted by tensions stemming from the US-Israel war on Iran.

He told Asharq Al-Awsat that some detainees had no connection to ISIS and had been imprisoned by the SDF on “malicious” accusations before being classified as members of the group and transferred to Iraq.

President Ahmed al-Sharaa receives Iraq’s Supreme Judicial Council President Judge Faiq Zaidan in Damascus last week. (SANA)

Both Baghdad and Damascus want the prisoners returned to Syria, Yaarobi said, but a key obstacle is the lack of detention facilities there.

Judge Laith Jabr, head of Iraq’s Judicial Supervision Authority, said Zaidan’s talks in Damascus focused on the Syrian detainees and their legal status. Iraqi authorities had conducted judicial investigations and provided them with all legal safeguards, he added.

The two sides agreed to establish joint judicial committees that will meet regularly to resolve issues related to the detainees’ trials.

Informed sources said Iraq and Syria were close to signing an agreement governing the transfer and prosecution of Syrian detainees held in Iraq.

International law expert Al-Moutassim al-Kilani told Asharq Al-Awsat that an accusation by the SDF or inclusion on a security list was not, in itself, sufficient legal proof of ISIS membership.

Rather than mass releases or collective trials, Kilani advocated a joint Syrian-Iraqi judicial mechanism to distinguish among detainees lacking credible evidence; those awaiting Iraqi judgments who could be transferred for prosecution in Syria; suspects accused of crimes committed in Iraq or against Iraqis; and prisoners serving final Iraqi sentences who could potentially complete their terms in Syria under a bilateral arrangement.

A fifth category should cover potential victims of arbitrary detention or torture, he suggested.

Detainees and their lawyers should be given access to case files and allowed to challenge the legality of detention and seek investigations into allegations of abuse. Convictions should not be based solely on coerced confessions or security reports that cannot be independently scrutinized, he stressed.

Arab World

Sudan’s Al-Burhan Backs Inclusive Dialogue but Pledges to Continue Fighting the RSF

Al-Burhan flanked by Yasser Al-Atta and Shams El Din Kabbashi during the Army Day celebration (Transitional Sovereignty Council Media)
Al-Burhan flanked by Yasser Al-Atta and Shams El Din Kabbashi during the Army Day celebration (Transitional Sovereignty Council Media)
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Sudan’s Al-Burhan Backs Inclusive Dialogue but Pledges to Continue Fighting the RSF

Al-Burhan flanked by Yasser Al-Atta and Shams El Din Kabbashi during the Army Day celebration (Transitional Sovereignty Council Media)
Al-Burhan flanked by Yasser Al-Atta and Shams El Din Kabbashi during the Army Day celebration (Transitional Sovereignty Council Media)

The Chairman of the Transitional Sovereignty Council and Commander of the Sudanese Army, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has approved an initiative to launch a dialogue that brings together all political and civil parties.

Despite his announcement, he pledged to continue fighting until the rebellion of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) is defeated across the country.

Speaking on Friday on the 72nd anniversary of the Sudanese Armed Forces, al-Burhan said: "In light of this troubled political reality, a group of Sudanese citizens took the initiative to present their vision to work as an independent national mechanism to prepare for an inclusive Sudanese dialogue, with the goal of reaching a comprehensive national consensus that puts the country on the path to stability."

He added that he agreed to provide the necessary guarantees for holding the all-party talks, facilitate the participation of the different groups, and protect their safety.

Al-Burhan stressed that the state was willing to provide the necessary logistical support as well as legal, political, and security guarantees, without being the organizing entity of the dialogue.

He noted that providing these guarantees does not mean the state will dictate the participants of the dialogue, draft its agenda, control its outcomes, or provide it with political sponsorship.

Al-Burhan clarified that "the action taken by the state regarding any of the participants in the dialogue is not considered a pardon, but rather means suspending the criminal proceedings previously taken by the state against them."

He stated that these measures represent a "temporary immunity" to create appropriate conditions that ensure the participation of the parties.

The Sudanese army commander also pledged legal protection for the opinions and positions expressed by participants, saying statements made during dialogue sessions would not be used as grounds for legal prosecution.

A-Burhan said the army was ready to engage with any serious peace initiative but would not accept what he called an “incomplete peace” that returned the RSF and its supporters to power.

He stated that the army would continue the “completion of the cleansing of the country from the terrorist militia.”

The path to peace must begin with RSF forces withdrawing from cities and gathering in designated areas, followed by the return of displaced people and refugees to their homes, he added.

The Democratic Bloc welcomed al-Burhan’s announcement to hold the all-party talks.

Its spokesperson, Mohamed Zakaria, said Saturday that al-Burhan’s emphasis on the importance of inter-Sudanese dialogue and the need to create a conducive environment for its launch represents a significant step towards addressing the crisis through a national political process.

He called on all sides to engage positively with any serious effort to launch a comprehensive national dialogue, provided that the process is managed entirely by Sudanese parties and that the regional and international role is limited to facilitation and support without interfering in determining participants or imposing an agenda or outcomes.

Arab World

Egypt, China Consolidate Cooperation by Holding Air Combat Maneuvers

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and China’s President Xi Jinping held summit talks in the Chinese capital, Beijing, in May 2024. Photo: Egyptian Presidency
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and China’s President Xi Jinping held summit talks in the Chinese capital, Beijing, in May 2024. Photo: Egyptian Presidency
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Egypt, China Consolidate Cooperation by Holding Air Combat Maneuvers

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and China’s President Xi Jinping held summit talks in the Chinese capital, Beijing, in May 2024. Photo: Egyptian Presidency
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and China’s President Xi Jinping held summit talks in the Chinese capital, Beijing, in May 2024. Photo: Egyptian Presidency

Egypt and China have consolidated their military cooperation by announcing new air combat drills that are set to start this month.

"The Chinese and Egyptian air forces will hold Eagles of Civilization 2026 joint training in Egypt from mid-August to early September," said Senior Colonel Chen Xi, spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense (MND), at a press briefing on Friday.

"The training will focus on such subjects as air combat tactics, air superiority operations, and combat search and rescue, and will include force employment drills," said the spokesperson.

"As the second iteration of its kind, the joint training will further enhance mutual trust and traditional friendship, deepen substantive cooperation between the Chinese and Egyptian militaries, and contribute to regional peace and stability," stressed the spokesperson.

The joint air force exercise between China and Egypt "Eagles of Civilization 2025" was held in April last year at an Egyptian air base. It marked the first-ever military air drill between the two nations and the first time the Chinese PLA Air Force systematically deployed multiple troop types to the African continent.

In May 2024, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in Beijing to mark the 10th anniversary of their comprehensive strategic partnership.

The leaders declared 2024 the "Egypt-China Partnership Year,” signing bilateral agreements on the Belt and Road Initiative, technology, and industrial localization.