Almotamar.net - A government report mentioned Saturday that the volume of trade exchange between Yemen and the GCC states in 2006 has risen to around $ 2.3 billion.

The annual report issued by the government Central Apparatus of Statistic mentioned that the rise made the Gulf States occupy the second place next to China on the list of trade partners with Yemen.

Statistics statements of external trade for the year 2006 pointed out that the balance of trade was still tilting in favour of the Gulf States by an amount of YR 280.3 billion compared to YR 168.4 billion in 2005.
The report also mentioned that the deficit in the balance of trade shows that Yemen represents a fertile market for Gulf products and goods flowing into the Yemeni markets easily, according to concluded agreements.

Yemen news agency has quoted Hamdi al-Sharjabi, director of Yemeni Trade Statistics his saying that the development of trade exchange between Yemen and the GCC for years comes as a fruit of his government policies aimed at consolidating commercial relations with the neighbouring countries and preparation of convenient circumstances for Yemen's accession to the GCC that growth of trade exchange and its development forms one of the indicators of the strong relations between Yemen and the Gulf States.

The report also mentioned that the United Arab Emirates occupied the first place of trade partnership among the GCC States, then Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the sultanate of Oman, Qatar and Bahrain.

Reuters