The head of the local leadership of the Transitional Council in the governorate of Socotra Archipelago, acting head of the Self-Administration, Eng. Raafat Ibrahim Al-Thaqly, met on Sunday at the Governorate building, a number of businessmen, traders and investors from the people of the North who are living in the governorate.

The meeting discussed a number of issues related to aspects of business and commercial activity in Socotra and the challenges facing this sector.

Al-Thaqly affirmed the keenness of the Self-Administration to maintain appropriate conditions and overcome obstacles and difficulties in front of investment and business that would preserve the rights of merchants and investors in a manner that is reflected with benefits and quality to the governorate and can be noticed by the Socotri citizens.

Al-Thaqly clarified that Socotra suffered from mismanagement during the previous period, which did not give the trade and investment sector sufficient attention, and did not provide encouraging conditions in front of investment and investors despite the advantages and constituents that the island possesses and make it a heading for all local investors, not to mention investors from all over the world,

that mismanagement cast its shadow over the island, and impeded its rise, improvement, and development, and reflected negatively on the standard of living for the citizens of Socotra.

Al-Thaqly noted that Socotra throughout its history is known for its safety, peace and coexistence, and it was a heading for all tourists from all countries of the world, and a pioneering model in its dealings with every delegation comes to it, whether for investment and trade or for tourism, stressing that this approach was and will remain firm due to the cohesion of Socotra's people and the unity of their identity that tends towards stability and peace and rejects suspicious ideas and projects enclosed by a party or factional cover.

Al-Thaqly stressed on the interest of the leadership of self-administration in investors, traders and businessmen from the northern regions, and its keenness to provide all facilities and overcome obstacles to practice their commercial activities with ease and in a manner that achieves the common benefit of investors, citizens and the society in Socotra, pointing out that the malicious and fabricated campaigns that falsely promoting about deporting and expelling the sons of Socotra, are intended to destabilize the friendly relationship between Socotra society and their brothers, traders and investors from the people of the North.

Al-Thaqly pointed out that the leadership of the self-administration in the governorate takes great care in the trade and investment sector and will work to develop the sectors related to this aspect by activating the trade and investment offices and the Chamber of Commerce in the governorate to carry out its duties and tasks.

For their part, businessmen, merchants and investors from the citizens of the North expressed their happiness at this meeting and their appreciation for the leadership of the self-administration for its spaciousness, and asking about their conditions, stressing that they have come to the island since years to invest and trade and not for something else, and they have a brotherly and friendly relationship with the citizens of Socotra, and they will stand alongside with Socotra’s sons and its peaceful and kind society, which embraced all segments, with great welcome