Press Releases
Japan-Yemen Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and Dinner
On December 4, fromt 7:00 p.m. for approximately 30 minutes, Mr. Fumio Kishida, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, held a meeting with H.E. Dr. Abu Bakr Abdullah Al-Qirbi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Yemen, who was making a working visit to Japan upon Foreign Minister’s invitation. The meeting was followed by a dinner. The outline of the meeting and dinner are as follows:
1 At the beginning, Foreign Minister Kishida mentioned the considerable importance to Japan of Yemen, which is located in a strategic marine transportation route off the coast of Somalia and the Gulf of Aden, and said that the Government of Japan supports Yemen, which has achieved a peaceful change of administration, and its efforts to pursue nation-building through a process of the “National Dialogue Conference.”
2. In response, Foreign Minister Al-Qirbi said that Yemen is making every possible effort to achieve national reconciliation through dialogue, and that although it faces difficult challenges, including terrorism, humanitarian issues and piracy, Yemen is eager to work to achieve stability with support of Japan.
3. Foreign Minister Kishida said that the Government of Japan will continue to actively support Yemen’s efforts on the basis of the following three pillars: support for the political transition process, combating terrorism and enhancing maritime law enforcement capacity. Foreign Minister Al-Qirbi expressed his gratitude for Japan’s support.
4. Both sides also exchanged views on the situations in Yemen and the Middle East region.