AMBASSADOR'S VISIT TO MUKALLA SPARKS REQUESTS FOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 SANAA 002796

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/18/2015
TAGS: PREL PTER MASS ENRG KMPI YM MARITIME SECURITY ECON COM DOMESTIC POLITICS
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S VISIT TO MUKALLA SPARKS REQUESTS FOR
GREATER COOPERATION

REF: SANAA 2531

Classified By: Ambassador Thomas Krajeski for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary: On September 12-13, Ambassador visited the
Hadramaut governorate capital and port city of Mukalla. In
meetings with the Deputy Commander of the Eastern Military
Region, university faculty, NGO activists and political and
business leaders, Ambassador was repeatedly urged to increase
USG assistance to the region's institutions. End Summary.

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Deputy Governor Ba Yameen: Hadramaut Open For Business
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2. (U) Welcoming the Ambassador to Mukalla, newly appointed
Deputy Hadramaut Governor Sa'eed Ba Yameen, said that the
recent flurry of investment in his developing governorate
came not only from the often cited influx of capital from
expatriated Hadrimis, but from all sectors of society,
particularly private business. He encouraged Ambassador to
push for US investment in the region noting that Mukalla was
a "very new city open to all kinds of investment."

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Deputy Area Commander Tahary: We Support The Coast Guard
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3. (C) In his meeting with Deputy Commander of the Eastern
Military Region, BG Naser Al-Thahry and his regional military
staff, Ambassador noted that in addition to assisting the
Yemeni Coast Guard (YCG) establish a new base in Hadramaut,
the USG wished to strengthen ties with the Yemeni Navy and
other MOD forces in the region. In response, BG Tahary told
Ambassador that the ROYG, MOD and his office were fully in
favor of expanding the YCG to the Hadramaut. (Reftel). "We
need to fight terror, drugs and smuggling," he noted, "and we
want a strong Coast Guard to accomplish this." The Deputy
Commander also said that an increase in cooperation between
Saudi Arabia and other Horn of Africa (HOA) countries would
benefit Yemen and the United States. DATT, who was
accompanying Ambassador, added that the US military looked
forward to expanding ties with the Eastern Region.

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University of Science and Technology: Partnerships Key
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4. (U) After touring the Hadramaut Science and Technology
University's (HSTU) new campus, the Ambassador spoke with
over 50 faculty members about the University's challenges and
needs. University President, Dr. Ahmad Ba Mashmous, said
that his institution was more interested in partnerships with
US universities and businesses than USG funding. He
speculated that this could garner private US investment in
the university (considered by many to be Yemen's premier
Science faculty) and help the approximately 8,000 HSTU
graduates find work. "We will pay the tuition, but please
help us open the channels with your institutions," pleaded Ba
Mashmous.


5. (U) Abdullah Mohammed Ba Haroun, President of the
Sufi-oriented Al-Ahqaf University, added that partnerships
with businesses could steer graduates to the private sector
instead of the more common choice, the bloated government
work force Both men revealed that in order to facilitate
partnerships, they were developing an accreditation process
to allow foreign universities to properly review their
institutions and students.

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Yemeni Women's Union: We Need Support
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6. (SBU) At the Yemeni Women's Union (YWU) Ambassador asked
the more than 30 members whether or not they supported a
woman's quota in the next local council and parliamentary
elections. Chairwoman Salma al-Kathiri explained that her
group endorsed a 30% women's quota in Local Council seats.
Sa'eeda Shima', head of the Hadramaut YSP political party
women's committee, and member Salma al Ghazi, head of legal
programming, both explained that a quota was necessary to
counter the lack of political will to empower women.


7. (SBU) The conversation quickly shifted to repeated calls
for USG support. Ghazi explained that YWU is only able to
get financial support from the Governor's Office and proceeds
from selling handicrafts. The group noted that they needed
help with a new facility as well as funding to continue
programs in literacy, women's health awareness, women
prisoner's rights, and legal aid. Another member added that
many in the group would be interested in attending US
sponsored training. Ambassador promised to work with the YWU
to identify possible US funding sources and expand US-YWU
cooperation.
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Livestock Quarantine: Increasing Capacity
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8. (SBU) At the Mukalla Livestock Quarantine, run by the
Ministry of Agriculture, Director Mohammed Faraj Abdoun
informed Ambassador that the center could not keep up with
the increased trade in sheep, goats and camels. The animals
are imported from Somalia and held at the center before being
allowed into the Yemeni and Arab Gulf markets. He asked
Ambassador and USAID AgOff for US funding for an expansion of
the center and an on-site animal testing unit. Testing
samples, he noted, are currently sent to a central lab in
Sanaa, which means animals must be held for weeks before
being cleared. Ambassador indicated that he would work with
USAID to see if there was a possibility to address the
situation, but noted that USAID's mandate does not currently
fund such projects in Hadramaut.

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Chamber of Commerce: Access to US Markets
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9. (U) At the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, members
called for ways to access the US market. Members belonging
to the fisheries industry noted that although their companies
had the physical capacity to supply the United States with
their product and could meet US food product standards as
easily as they achieved EU standards, they needed help
understanding US import requirements. Dietmar Alker, Advisor
to the Chamber, added that many Hadrimi businessmen were
afraid to travel to the US because of stricter security
procedures. Ambassador answered that DHS has developed
services to streamline travel to the US and that post would
do everything it could to assist those wanting to travel to
the US for business.


10. (C) Comment: Concerning expansion of the YCG,
Ambassador's visit provided effective follow up to the DCM's
trip just two weeks earlier. (reftel). Al-Thahry's positive
response is encouraging but, given the known opposition of
his powerful boss, BG Mohammed Ali Muhsen, should be taken
with caution at this point. The other meetings offered
several prospects to help the civil, business and academic
communities and increase US visibility, in a vital, yet often
neglected, part of the country. End Comment.


Krajeski