By:almotamar.net - SANA'A- Prime Minister Abdul-Qader Bajammal inaugurated today a symposium titled "Rehabilitating Yemen to integrate into Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)", organized by Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation and Emirates Center for Studies and Strategic Researches.
Inaugurating the symposium, Bajammal welcomed participants who represent a constellation of intellectuals and academics both from Gulf countries and Yemen, referring to the importance of holding such intellectual meetings that would enhance intellectual growth and enhance Yemen-Gulf efforts made for achieving cultural, intellectual, social, economic, and political integration.

Yemen's clear vision towards the future of its relations with the GCC stems from searching for cultural, technological, social, economic, and political integration, not just looking for financial supports to rehabilitate Yemen's economy to integrate into GCC economies, Bajammal said.
Bajammal affirmed it is important to have a common will on the part of GCC and Yemen to mold the reality of joint relations based on the social, cultural incorporation.
Moreover, Bajammal stressed on the importance of creating intellectual interaction among elite of educated and academics in Yemen and GCC, and finding necessary material-moral ground especially in the fields of investment, and financing the third Fife-Year Plan for economic and social development.
For his part, Abdul-Karim al-Arahabi, Minister of Planning and International Cooperation said in his speech realities of history and geography and joint interests affirm that Yemen is part in parcel of the social and cultural gulf structure. He made it clear that Yemeni emigration to gulf countries (especially Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates) during the 70s and 80s of the last century had achieved advantages for them and for Yemen alike, where Yemeni expatriates contributed to the development of those countries.
According to al-Arahabi, several obstacles that hindered Yemen's integration into GCC since its establishment in 1981 have been overwhelmed. Masqat Summit held in December 2001 represented a transition in the course of integrating Yemen into GCC, where it approved to grant Yemen some memberships at the GCC.