Yemen ex-leader Saleh suspected of amassing billionsFebruary 26, 2015 - 10:37 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Yemen's former president Ali Abdullah Saleh is suspected of amassing $30bn-$62bn of assets during and after his time in power, UN experts have said, according to BBC News. They said r Saleh was believed to have transferred much of the wealth abroad under other names. Yemen is the poorest country in the Middle East. It is in political turmoil, with Mr Saleh widely thought to retain a key role behind the scenes. Saleh has in the past denied allegations of corruption. He was Yemen's leader for 33 years before being forced from power in one of the 2011 Arab uprisings. The report said Saleh's assets included property, cash, shares, gold and other valuable commodities spread across at least 20 countries. "The origin of the funds used to generate Ali Abdullah Saleh's wealth is believed to be partly from his corrupt practices as president of Yemen, particularly relating to gas and oil contracts," it says. Illegal activities produced private gain amounting to "nearly $2 billion a year over the last three decades", it alleges. "Many have argued that the country's spiralling debt and economic problems would be alleviated with a repatriation of these alleged stolen assets," the report noted. It was authored by a panel of experts who monitor UN sanctions on Yemen. The security situation in Yemen deteriorated sharply after President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi resigned in January following a takeover by a Shia militia group, the Houthis. The UN experts said Saleh, with the backing of large parts of the army, had "colluded with the Houthis in what resulted in a coup d'etat" against Hadi. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Concept to complete Yerevan Cascade discussed at city hall A conceptual proposal to complete the Cascade complex in downtown Yerevan has been presented by Jean-Michel Wilmotte. Pashinyan visits flood-hit region Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Saturday, June 8 visited the disaster area in the Lori province. €3.5 mln EU grant to support justice reforms in Armenia The European Union has paid €3.5 mln grant to Armenia within a €11mln program on Support to Justice Reforms. Yerevan reacts to Baku’s proposal to see Minsk Group abolition Alen Simonyan has declared that Armenia is taking steps aimed at concluding a peace treaty with Azerbaijan. |