“We would like to see more tourism boosted and security strengthened in Sana’a”, was Deputy Foreign Minister Lapo Pistelli’s comment as he visited Yemen. Prospects for the speedy resumption of the Italian Cooperation’s activities, and an update on the country’s domestic situation, were the two main agenda items in meetings with President Hadi and Foreign, Interior and Economic Development Ministers.
Pistelli also met with women’s rights activist and one of the country’s national dialogue leaders, Nobel laureate Tawakkol Karman, who is currently at work rewriting Yemen’s future institutional layout.
“We support the dialogue and are ready to strengthen our presence there as soon as the country recuperates sufficient stability”, Pistelli added. “In collaboration with the University of Urbino, we are organising the conference “A window on Yemen” for 9-10 October, which will be dedicated to the transition, after which I intend to return to launch the first cooperation programmes”.
