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Riyadh  meeting of Usec YAbes with Foreign Minister of Yemen

11 December 2013 – Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Jesus Yabes arrived in Sana’a, Yemen on December 10 and met with Yemeni Foreign Minister Dr. Abu Bakr Al-Qirbi.  Undersecretary Yabes was joined during the meeting by Philippine Non-Resident Ambassador to Yemen Ezzedin Tago who has been in Sanaa since December 06, Vice Consul Redentor Genotiva, and Philippine Honorary Consul Mohamad Al-Jamal.

Undersecretary Yabes arrives in Sana’a less than a day after the Philippines raised the Crisis Alert Level for Yemen to level 3.

During the meeting, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Yemen conveyed his government’s condolences to the families of the Filipino victims of the incident at the Ministry of Defence Complex on December 05.  

Minister Al-Qirbi informed Undersecretary Yabes that the Yemeni President, H.E. Abdo Rabbo Hadi has declared that the Filipino victims are martyrs, similar to the Yemeni victims.  Minister Al-Qirbi vowed full assistance to facilitate the early repatriation of the remains of the victims and cited the contributions of Filipino medical workers to the Yemeni people.
Riyadh  meeting of Usec YAbes with Foreign Minister of Yemen2

Undersecretary Yabes was also received by the Yemeni Minister of Interior Maj. General Dr. Abdel Qader Qahtan.  During the meeting, the Yemeni Interior Minister conveyed his condolences to the families of the victims and condemned the attack on the hospital.  Undersecretary Yabes expressed his condolences to the Yemeni victims’ families.  He also thanked the Yemeni government and the Interior Ministry for the help and assistance to Filipinos living in Yemeni, and for facilitating the resolution of their cases especially those who overstay in the country after the expiration of their entry visas.

Citing that both countries are victims of terrorism, both officials affirmed the need to strengthen global efforts to combat terrorism. 

Undersecretary Yabes will also meet other Yemeni officials while in Sana’a, as well as the Filipino community and the 29 Filipinos who worked with the Ministry of Defense Hospital that was subject of the attack on December 05. END