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Under the Patronage of Ministers Al-Zaouri and Al-Saqqaf: Launch of the Coffee and Honey Associations in the Capital, Aden
Sep 07, 2025
The capital, Aden, this morning witnessed the official inauguration of the General Cooperative Association for Coffee Development and the General Cooperative Association for Honey Development. The ceremony was held under the patronage of H.E. Dr. Mohammed Saeed Al-Zaouri, Minister of Social Affairs and Labor, and H.E. Major General Salem Abdullah Al-Saqqaf, Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Fisheries Wealth, in the presence of Mr. Salem Al-Wali, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade, and Mr. Rashid Qassem Hazeb, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Industry.
In his speech at the event, Minister Al-Zaouri emphasized the importance of establishing such cooperative associations, which contribute to unifying efforts, supporting the development process, and strengthening the national economy, thereby helping to overcome current economic challenges.
He pointed out that the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor provides all necessary facilities for the establishment of associations of various types—cooperative and civil society alike—and supports their developmental, agricultural, fisheries, and charitable activities due to their direct impact on serving the community.
Al-Zaouri explained that many cooperative associations faltered as a result of the suspension of government support due to the war imposed by the Houthi terrorist militias. However, other associations managed to continue their activities through self-support or contributions from the private sector and international organizations. He noted that the Ministry had registered around 700 cooperative associations in the liberated governorates by the end of 2024.
He concluded his speech by commending the efforts behind the establishment of the Coffee and Honey Associations, affirming that the Ministry will work to facilitate all legal procedures to ensure their success, including the issuance of trademarks and geographical indicators for coffee and honey products.
For his part, Minister Al-Saqqaf stressed the need for the boards of directors and members of both associations to possess experience, competence, and a spirit of cooperation in order to advance the coffee and honey sectors and address existing shortcomings. He called for learning from successful international experiences and for coordination with the National Coffee Center and the National Honey Center, both affiliated with the Ministry. He also highlighted that the Ministry of Agriculture had selected coffee as a national product under the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) initiative “One Country, One Product”, launched at FAO headquarters in Rome.
Meanwhile, Eng. Saleh Al-Amir, President of the Agricultural Cooperative Union, expressed his gratitude and appreciation to Ministers Al-Zaouri and Al-Saqqaf for their support and facilitation in establishing the Coffee and Honey Associations, affirming the Union’s continued backing of these efforts.
The event concluded with the reading of the final statement by Eng. Ahmed Abdulmalik, Director of the National Coffee Development Center, which included the results of the elections for the boards of directors and supervisory committees, in addition to the main
