IFC to support investment projects in Yemen

IFC to support investment projects in Yemen
Sana’a, NewsYemen


The International Funding Corporation (IFC) announced it would grant new private investment projects in Yemen an amount of $200 million.
Representative of IFC in Yemen Saad Sabrah said the corporation would offer grants for chemical projects and educational, industrial, health and cement industry projects. He said that IFC offers 30% technical aid and 70% funds.
Sabrah said in a workshop organized by IFC in cooperation with the Yemeni Cooperative Society for Producers and Exporters of Marble, Granite and Decoration Stones (CSPEMGDS) and the Geological Area Authority (GAA) that IFC works in 60 countries, 21 of them in the Middle East and North Africa, and that it has 600 employees.
Chairman of CSPEMGDS, Ahmad Ali al-Shaleef said the marble and granite sector in Yemen is “an orphan sector needs someone to warrant�. He considered it as the second sector after oil in Yemen in terms of its revenues and benefits.
Al-Shaleef told NewsYemen that the marble in Yemen is existing in big quantities with 60 different colors. “Every governorate in Yemen contains marble and decoration stones,� said al-Shaleef.
Al-Shaleef called upon the concerned bodies to look after the marble and granite sector and to ease transporting and exporting such products.
“No single bank supports this sector,� said al-Shaleef. “ Yemen has amounts of marble, granite and decoration stones that may provide Yemen with billions of dollars, but no one supports collecting and manufacturing.� He said the companies, currently working in Yemen, do not even meet 10 % of the market demand.
Chairman of the Geological Area Authority Ismael al-Janad said CSPEMGDS should work hard to pursue investors to invest in that sector and to coordinate communication between the private sector and the government to create a specific mechanism to thrive such vital sector.

	Marble MARBLE: CHARACTERISTICS This standard includes general information on the characteristics and common uses of marble and identifies typical problems associated with the material. INTRODUCTION Marble is an extremely hard, metamorphic stone composed of calcite (CaCO3). It is formed as a result of the recrystallization of limestone under the intense pressure and heat of geologic processes. The effect of this process is the creation of a stone with a very tight crystalline structure and small but definite porosity. Because of its structure, marble can take a very high polish and is a very popular decorative stone for architectural and sculptural uses. The limited porosity of marble, especially polished marble, makes it less vulnerable to the leaching effects of water. Calcium carbonate, however, of which marble is composed, is highly susceptible to attack by acidic agents. Marble is readily dissolved by acids, even very dilute acids, however the actual results of acidic exposure will vary with the nature of the acid. Chlorides, nitrates, sulfates and other chemical compounds react differently with marble and produce various by-products, which have a wide range of solubility and impact on the durability of marble. For this reason, it is always important to determine the exact type of pollutants causing marble deterioration. Marble itself can be of two types, one composed of calcite and the other of dolomite. Dolomitic marble is much more resistant to acid attack than calcite marble. The color of marble ranges from the brilliant white of calcite to black, including blue-gray, red, yellow and green, depending upon the mineral composition. TYPICAL USES Marble has many decorative and structural uses. It is used for outdoor sculpture as well as for sculpture bases; in architecture it is used in exterior walls and veneers, flooring, decorative features, stairways and walkways. The way in which the stone is used may be a factor in limiting or controlling the severity of exposure. The use or function of the marble may also affect the feasibility of applying certain treatments, but type of use is not the primary factor in the major types of deterioration and damage to which marble is susceptible.

It looks like we get a lot of work real soon.