ADEN, 28 December 2005 — The presidents of Yemen, Sudan and Somalia and the Ethiopian prime minister are to begin two days of talks in Aden today on boosting security and economic cooperation.
Issues of regional security, mainly the fight against terrorism in the Horn of Africa and improving security in the southern part of the Red Sea, were to be tackled, Yemeni officials told Arab News yesterday.
Reconciliation in Somalia and the conflict in the western Sudanese region of Darfur were also expected to be discussed during the meeting, the officials said.
The summit of the Sanaa Forum for Cooperation would bring together presidents Ali Abdullah Saleh of Yemen, Omar Bashir of Sudan, Abdulahi Yusuf Ahmed of Somalia and Ethiopian Premier Meles Zenawi.
The meeting would also tackle ways to enhance joint trade exchange through establishing a free trade zone to help facilitate the flow of goods between the four countries.
The regional grouping was set up three years ago by Yemen, Sudan and Ethiopia. Somalia joined the group in December last year.
