last month’s Investment Opportunities in Yemen conference was the first of its kind to be held in the country. It highlighted some of the striking challenges and opportunities in the Arab world’s poorest and most undeveloped state, which despite myriad difficulties now faces a period of transformation. Long considered the backward underbelly of Arabia, one of the world’s poorest countries and certainly one with the highest number of weapons per capita, Yemen is stepping up efforts to entice investors into what is virtually a pristine economy. A daunting host of political, social and economic problems currently lay siege to the country’s development, however, including a frighteningly high population growth, water shortages, weak government control, over-reliance on oil revenues and endemic corruption. Nevertheless, Yemen’s investment authorities are doing all they can to attract a new influx of foreign capital—especially from the GCC—and reverse the economic misfortunes of recent times. Getting it
