almotamar.net - The Yemen Ministry of Expatriates, in cooperation with the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation, is making preparations for carrying out census of The Yemeni expatriates living abroad that are estimated at 1.8 million.

A source at the Ministry has said the survey, to be carried out by the Central Apparatus for Statistics during the next year, would help prepare full statements on the Yemeni expatriates living in different countries of the world in preparation for setting up a national strategy strengthening role of the expatriates their relationship with their homeland and their effective contribution to the economic development movement and its activation, in addition tot other affairs related to the expatriates.

The source told almotamar.net Saturday there is a large segment of the Yemeni expatriates living in many countries of the world, some as communities and other some as minorities. The Yemeni government does not possess enough information on the real figure of those expatriates, especially with respect to areas where they gather, age groups and level of their incomes as well as their financial remittances to Yemen. He said the lacking of such information would reduce results of the Yemeni government efforts aimed to incorporate the expatriates with the process of development and the attempts of integrating the expatriates with the inside community.

The importance of this survey of expatriates comes as part of Yemen's future strategy related to the expatriates.