The First Turkey-Yemen Forum was Held with the Cooperation of The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ORSAM and İTO

7 minute reading time

Turkey- Yemen Forum that was held on 16 June 2010 in İstanbul with the collaborations of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Republic of Turkey, Centre for Middle Eastern Strategic Studies and İstanbul Chamber of Commerce revives the strong relations that have a thousand years of background between these two countries once again. High level officials from both Turkey and Yemen, expert academics, representatives from media and civil society attended to the conference held in İstanbul Chamber of Commerce. Political, historical, social, economic and cultural relations between Turkey and Yemen, Turkish and Ottoman's existence in the region, political and social reasons of crisis that Yemen drift in previous years, Turkey's role for peaceful solutions to these crisis, Turkey's contributions to Yemen's stability as a whole and the abilities to develop the economic relations between two countries were discussed in the forum.

Presidency Advisor for Middle East, Mr. Erşat Hürmüzlü who made the opening speech, Ambassador of the Republic of Yemen to the Republic of Turkey Madame Noria Abdulla Al-Hamami, Director of Centre for Middle Eastern Strategic Studies (ORSAM) Mr. Hasan Kanbolat, Vice President of the Executive Board of İstanbul Chamber of Commerce Dursun Topçu highlighted the importance of the relationship between Turkey and Yemen, and contributions to the Middle Eastern stability by developing the possibilities of cooperation.

President Gül will visit Yemen

Chief Advisor of Presidency, Mr. Erşad Hürmüzlü made the opening speech both in Turkish and Arabic, and stated that President Abdullah Gül pays a lot of importance to Turkey-Yemen Forum held in İstanbul and supports achievements on developing the cooperation between two countries, and will make an official visit to Yemen as President Abdullah Saleh’s invited guest. Afterwards, Yemen Ambassador H.E. Noria Al Hamami pointed out her pleasure with Turkey's constructive role in Middle East in recent years, she expressed that Yemen stands by Turkey's side against the attack to the Mavi Marmara and pleased with both Turkey's international supports to Friends of Yemen Group and special contributions to Yemen's stability. Ambassador Al-Hamami mentioned rooted relations between two countries, expressed their desire for increasing trade volume with new investments, and also highlighted the importance of mutual academic, cultural and media works. Al-Hamami's another advice was about cooperation between the private sectors; regarding this point Al-Hamami suggested to organize a mutual council consisting of both countries' businessmen. Ambassador emphasized that such a council will play an active role in solutions of investment problems between the two countries.

Retired diplomat and Vice President of the Executive Board of İstanbul Chamber of Commerce Mr. Dursun Topçu who also made a speech in Turkey- Yemen Forum, first stressed the need for new opportunities and cooperation, than, he cited the requirement of establishing mutual companies in private sectors to develop trade between Turkey and Yemen. Topçu stated that foreign trade volume between Yemen and Turkey passed over 300 million dollars as of 2009, and added this rates are still under the expectations considering the potential cooperation fields even though the foreign trade volume, which showed an upward trend since 2001, has tripled. Besides, as İstanbul Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Topçu cited that they will pay intensive effort to develop commercial cooperation.

Director of ORSAM, Mr. Hasan Kanbolat, one of the Turkey–Yemen Forum's organizers, underlined in his opening remarks, after mentioning the historical relations between Turkey and Yemen, Yemen's strategic importance and efforts to develop the democratic process and stressed the role of regional countries to find solutions to the issues that Yemen has been facing.

The Second Turkey-Yemen Forum will take place in Yemen

As it can be seen from the opening speeches, the meeting in İstanbul took the high level attention from both two countries and it was agreed to organize the Second Turkey-Yemen Forum in Yemen.

In this respect, it was important that this process of developing the relations in every field between two countries will be supported in official level according to the closing speeches made by both Deputy Undersecretary in Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Republic of Turkey Ambassador Mr. Engin Soysal, and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Republic of Yemen Dr. Ali Musenna. Ambassador Mr. Soysal, who observes the problems of Yemen for a long period and pursues the issues directly with the visits to Yemen, highlighted the importance of that Turkey's official support to Yemen's stability and said in this context that the forum held in İstanbul will serve as an example for the Friends of Yemen Group that was established in London. According to Mr. Soysal, Turkey will insist on the constructive policy to solve the crisis in the region and pay a lot of importance to develop the relations with Yemen.

Dr. Ali Musenna who made the closing remarks with Ambassador Soysal, highlighted Turkey's international contributions for Yemen's stability and stated that Yemen supports Turkey's efforts to develop relations with Yemen. Dr. Ali Musenna, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Republic of Yemen cited also that Turkey is accepted by Arab world as a sample country with its democratic and modern structure, contemporary Islamic life-style, and developed industry and additionally, he told that Turkey's success on foreign policy is appreciated.

Western diplomats underline Turkey's importance for Yemen

Turkey-Yemen Forum got intense attention from the Western countries. In the meetings between diplomats and representatives of foreign countries and ORSAM researchers, especially representatives of European countries mentioned their pleasure regarding Turkey's support for Yemen's stability and emphasize importance of Turkey's role in process of stabilizing Yemen.

Besides, academics, civil society leaders and leading names of media, who attended the forum from Yemen, referred to the cooperation between two countries, social, cultural and historical dynamics of the issues which Yemen faced with and Ottoman existence in Yemen from a different perspective. As it is possible to observe from the speeches given in the forum that will be published by ORSAM in a short time, Yemeni speakers cited that the perception of Turkey in Yemen is historically different, and bureaucrats and soldiers from the previous Ottoman Era were utilized during the process of Yemen's military, political and economic reestablishment. The fact that almost all Yemeni speakers pointed was that Minister of Foreign Affairs of Yemen and Former Ottoman Governor Mr. Ragıp was the leader who created the modern foreign policy of Yemen until the 1960s as a remarkable incident.

Alongside the support given by Yemen side to the Turkey-Yemen Forum, the attendance of academicians and civil society leaders were high. Former Yemen President Abdurrahman Al Iryani's nephew and secretary General of Arab Women Union Remzia Abbas Al Eryani, Lecturer in Sana University Prof. Dr. Amat Al Rauf Hussein Mohammed Al Sharki, Chairman of Women Media Forum Rahma Hugaira, Dean of the Faculty of Art and Social Sciences Hamid Al Awadhi, Director of Centre for Public Research Hafez Al Bukari, Vise Rector of Thamar University Prof. Dr. Amin A. Al Hemiari, Lecturar from St. Andrews University Dr. Khaled Fattah were among the Yemeni participants. High attendance to the Forum as both audience and speaker was observed.

As a result, the historical background of Turkey-Yemen relations, Yemen’s current security issues, historical and cultural background, physical and social heritage of Ottoman in Yemen and lastly the importance of developing the social, commercial and political relations between

Turkey and Yemen were addressed exhaustively. Both sides emphasized the importance of developing mutual cooperation in this respect.

The program of the forum is attached.