This came in a lecture at the Information Affairs Office (IAO) of Deputy Prime Minister. Faqirah talked about the strategic importance of the bridge project between Yemen and Djibouti.

Delivering his lecture on the benefit of the project he stated that the project would not be limited to Yemen and Djibouti it will also benefit the entire region. And it will make the project among the top priorities for both countries as well as for the neighboring countries in the Gulf and Arab peninsula and the other African countries.

He noted that it is a pioneering regional project that will create a wide range of infrastructures projects related to it.

The implementation of the project depends on the results of the current negotiations between the company involved in implementing it and the parties concerned as well as on the feasibility study, the professor pointed out.

He indicated that the strategic importance of this sea bridge stems in part from the geopolitical importance of the site of Yemen and Djibouti on the map of regional and international interactions on the Red Sea.

The bridge will promote the movement between the Asian and African coast and strengthen the social and economic ties between Yemen and Djibouti smoothening the movement of the Gulf and African capitals, which will make Yemen an economic bridge between the Gulf and African investors, he stated.

He said, the project will create an organic connection between the Port of Aden and Djibouti Port, particularly bridge a linkage with the Dubai Port administration.

Speaking on budget of the project Faqirah estimated that the cost of it will reach up to $10 billion to $ 20 billion, which will be implemented through two phases.

Source: Khaleej Times, Aug 13, 2007