Qatari investors plan to build a US$700mn commercial harbour in Yemen’s eastern Hadramout Province during 2006.

The harbour will host a dock that can receive commercial ships and oil carriers. It will also include warehousing and packaging facilities. The project is to be realised in three phases, the first of which will cost US$250mn.

Yemen wants to attract foreign and Arab investments to its islands and especially to its biggest island, Socotra.