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The Committee notes the information provided in the Government’s reply to the 1999 direct request.

1. Article 1 of the Convention. The Government states that the first five-year plan (1996-2000) succeeded in decreasing inflation, stabilizing local employment, decreasing the budget deficit, encouraging investment and creating new job opportunities. Much of the employment created was due to infrastructure investment. A draft programme on vocational training has been submitted to the Chamber of Deputies for final adoption. The Committee would appreciate receiving further information on the content of the programme on vocational training, once it has been adopted, including disaggregated statistics on the number of participants and the subsequent rate of job placement. Please supply further information on other programmes which exist or are being formulated to promote employment, particularly for disadvantaged groups. Please also supply further information on how other policies, such as trade, monetary policy, and wages take into account the impact on employment promotion.

2. Article 2. The Government states that it is still in the process of developing a database on labour market statistics. The Committee hopes that the database will be completed soon and that the Government will be in a position to provide disaggregated statistics on trends in the labour market. Please also provide further information on how employment policies and programmes are kept under review within the framework of a coordinated economic and social policy.

3. Article 3. The Committee notes with interest that a Labour Council was set up in 1997, which includes the presidents of the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry and of the Federation of Yemen Workers’ Unions. The Labour Council meets every three months and issues general policy guidelines concerning labour legislation, wages and other remuneration, social security, training, rehabilitation of workers and other labour issues related to the social partners. The Committee would appreciate receiving further information on how these guidelines are taken into account in formulating, implementing and reviewing employment policies and programmes. Please also supply information on the manner in which consultations are held with representatives of other groups, such as rural and informal sector workers, and on the outcome of these consultations.