The £ 8.9 million agreement will enable Yemen to learn from international expertise to boost efforts to improve its investment climate based on world standards.

The agreement was signed in Sana’a by minister of Planning and International Cooperation Abdul Karim Al-Arhabi and UK minister for International Development Mike Foster.

The agreement comes as Yemen has proved to the world its serious intentions to implement comprehensive reforms, Foster said, affirming Britain’s keenness to develop its relations with Yemen.

He highlighted gains Yemen has made in terms of the implementation of national reforms in various sectors.

Earlier on Sunday, Yemen and Britain held talks that focused on means to promote the bilateral relationship and cooperation.

Britain is the main supporter of reforms in Yemen and it has recently announced raising its aid to the country for 2006-2011 by 400 percent.

The announcement was made as the two countries signed in August 2006 a partnership agreement that was deemed the first in its kind in the Middle East and the seventh at the world level.