YEMEN - Profile - Abdel Qader Bajamal.

Named as prime minister on March 31, 2001, Bajammal has a long background in southern and northern Yemeni politics. Aged 55, he used to be deputy premier and foreign minister in the previous government. Before that he had served as planning and development minister.

Bajamal plays a role in the petroleum decision making process and in economics generally. Among his various other functions, he chaired the tenders committee which in April 2000 awarded GSM licences to two groups involving figures close to President Saleh: a partnership of Al Ahmar Establishment, related to the country's Speaker Shaikh Abdullah Al Ahmar, and Orascom of Egypt; and a partnership of businessman Shaher Abdel Haq and Libancell. Bajamal, originally from central Hadhramaut, studied business in Cairo before joining the Yemeni Socialist party in 1978. He held several government posts in former south Yemen, including the ministries of industry and energy. But after the civil war Bajamal was accused of anti-socialist activities and imprisoned by south Yemeni authorities for more than three years. After the proclamation of the reunited Yemen in 1990, Bajamal joined the GPC, which had been in control of former northern Yemen. He then went on to become quite powerful as an aide to Saleh. He joined the Sanaa government in 1994. He was a key figure behind Yemeni efforts that led to a comprehensive border agreement with Saudi Arabia. The accord was signed in Jeddah on June 12, 2000.