Arab World : Yemen

The publishing scene in Yemen is not characterized by a high degree of centralization.

The percentage of imported books in the total books available in libraries:
Before the war, the percentage of imported books in libraries used to reach 70%. However, due to the blockade and the ongoing war for nearly ten years, the percentage of imported books has decreased to less than 10%. This is coupled with strict censorship on book titles that are allowed to enter and the imposition of high customs duties on them.

Percentage of national publishing (with local capital) that secures public library contracts:
There is none.

Percentage of multinational or foreign groups that secure public and university library contracts:
There is none.

Total value of public contracts for school books in your country:
There are no public contracts related to school books, and this applies to digital books as well. School books are not subject to market supply and demand through contracts. Instead, there are private printing presses for school books, and the relevant authorities handle the sale and distribution process, often in a non-transparent manner.

Public contracts for school books are not secured through clear and transparent tendering processes.

Percentage of national publishing (with local capital) that secures public school book contracts:
There is none. Although there are supposed to be government-owned printing presses for school books, school books are sold unofficially to various entities and private schools.

Percentage of multinational or foreign groups that secure public school book contracts:
In Yemen, there are only government-run school book printing presses.

The three main measures to support the publishing sector in Yemen:

• Encouraging concerned authorities, educational institutions, and the private sector to purchase books from authors at subsidized prices.
• Organizing permanent book fairs, with books purchased by both official and private institutions.
• Continuous participation in international book fairs by representatives from both the private sector and relevant government bodies.

There is the Cultural Heritage and Development Fund in Sana’a and Aden, which purchases books directly from authors at a subsidized price. Authors only need to submit an official request to the minister’s office, attaching a copy of the book. The request is then directed to the executive director of the fund. The subsidized price is determined based on the type and size of the book and ranges from 1,000 to 5,000 Yemeni riyals per copy.

The Cultural Heritage and Development Fund used to publish books through direct submission to the Minister of Culture, who would direct the fund to cover all printing costs. It also supported authors by providing financial amounts ranging from 50,000 to 200,000 Yemeni riyals to help them publish their books before 2015. However, currently, all forms of publishing support have ceased.

There are no funds for supporting translation.

Challenges related to public policies for books in Yemen:

• Lack of specialized bodies to support and encourage book production.
• Absence of permanent book fairs.
• Lack of direction for the private sector to support books.
• Absence of active community organizations or structures specialized in books.
• Neglect of the relevant authorities in fulfilling their true role.

Positives of the laws related to books in Yemen:

• The law did not limit publishing to official entities.
• It provided a wide space of freedom in the matter of publishing.
• It allowed local publishing houses to issue books without prior authorization.

The key developments related to public policies for books and reading in Yemen over the past ten years:

There have been negative developments, as security agencies within the government bodies concerned with culture and publishing have intensified their censorship of all forms of artistic works, with the largest impact falling on books. Writers are now required to sign a written commitment that their books do not offend the “faith-based identity” of the de facto authorities, nor violate customs or traditions. Furthermore, there are significant restrictions on the remaining local publishing houses under the control of the de facto authorities, with no book being published without prior written approval from the relevant department in the Ministry of Culture.

The main discussions related to authorship rights in Yemen currently:

Due to the current censorship, there are ongoing discussions among writers and experts regarding the effects of the narrowing space for authorship and publishing in several cultural clubs and private cultural institutions.

Book counterfeiting in print significantly affects the publishing sector, despite the existence of clear legal policies prohibiting piracy and counterfeiting. However, due to the country’s situation and the halt in the flow of books and publications, private libraries and readers have resorted to unofficially circulating local copies to bypass the internal and external blockades.

Electronic piracy also has a significant impact, especially since the book market in Yemen is not very profitable for authors and publishing houses.

Proposed solutions to address these two issues:

• Activating current legal policies and adding provisions that protect the rights of publishers and authors for both traditional and digital books.
• Strengthening support for book purchases by relevant authorities and the private sector through a binding legal framework.
• Facilitating the entry of books and regulating their prices in a way that aligns with the general income per capita.

There are no significant public purchases for books in local languages.

Total value of public purchases for public libraries in your country:
There are no accurate statistics in this regard; however, a study was recently published about the state of publishing in the Arab world, which included Yemen. The study covered the publishing situation and the number of publishing houses that existed and those that remain. It was noted that the remaining publishing houses are fewer than five. However, before 2011, the purchases exceeded millions of Yemeni riyals (for print books).

Total value of public purchases for university libraries in your country:
Currently, the percentage is very low, and it cannot be accurately quantified as there are no official statistics on this matter. However, it can be said that before 2011, purchases reached millions of Yemeni riyals (for print books).

Public book contracts for public and university libraries are not secured through clear and transparent tenders.

There are two local funds that purchase books and works of art, as well as contribute to some artistic production and cultural flash programs. These are the Cultural Heritage and Development Fund, with offices in the governorates of Sana’a and Aden. The number of copies purchased from each edition does not exceed 50 copies, and the amount does not exceed 5,000 Yemeni riyals per copy.

In Yemen, there are no funds to support the travel of writers and/or publishers (for attending book fairs or other business-related activities abroad). However, in the Arab world, there are several organizations that support writers through grants for sabbaticals and attendance at conferences and cultural events. A number of Yemeni writers have participated in these grants and activities.