The Government of Japan decided to provide emergency grant aid totaling about 1.14 million US dollars for the purpose of supporting the fair and smooth implementation of the presidential election in the Republic of Yemen to be held on February 21, through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

The upcoming election is of critical importance as it is to elect a new president to succeed H.E. President Ali Abudullah Saleh, who has been in office for 33 years including the period when he was the president of North Yemen. The Government of Yemen has been making its utmost efforts to ensure the fair and smooth implementation of the election in cooperation with the international community. The Government of Japan has long been supporting Yemen’s nation-building efforts, and its assistance for this election is part of that.

Japan expects that the fair and smooth implementation of the presidential election will restore stability in Yemen, and that it will eventually contribute to the stability in the Gulf region as well.