Dear Colleagues

Holding conferences the Gulf Cancer Control Federation's Fourth International Conference in the Republic of Yemen under the heading : Head and Neck Cancer during the period 16-18 February 2009 is very important, because Yemen is one of the more cancer cases in the region, where statistics indicate that 22,000 affected by cancer per year and especially in head and neck.

The Foundation is keen to draw the attention of organizations and related authorities with risk of this scourge and in order to strengthen the partnership between the Foundation and the GCC states to combat cancer and the World Cancer Control Federation. The idea of hosting the conference in the capital Sana'a is to achieve the following objectives:

• Deepening the spirit of solidarity among the members of the Gulf Union to promote efforts to fight tumors.
• Deepening the bonds of relationship and cooperation between the Foundation and Gulf Union and Arab and International organizations.
• Showing the latest research and scientific diagnostic and therapeutic developments for head and neck cancer.
• Developing a scientific strategy designed to combat cancer of the head and neck in the Arab Gulf region.

We, in the National Cancer Control Foundation, we hope this conference would strengthen the role of the Foundation in the fight against cancer in Yemen and through combined efforts between the Gulf Union to the success of the Foundation through raising level of support and assistance. Since we decided to hold a conference in Sana'a, the Foundation developed plans and programs to prepare what is good and the form committees of the conference such as the Higher Committee and the Scientific Committee headed by Mr. Abdo Rabbo Mansour Hadi, Vice President of the Republic.

The Foundation has worked to form the executive committees working for the functioning of the Conference, composed of commissions (secretariat committee, services and follow-up committee, Resources Committee, Information committee, women's sector committee, reception committee, financial and administrative committee, branches committee, external liaison committee). These committees are working according to plans in order to accomplish its tasks quickly and to good preparation for the Conference and follow up all administrative and technical equipment in order to achieve the distinctive and effective success for the Fourth World Gulf Conference of the Gulf Union to combat cancer.

We hope that this Conference has effective and fruitful resolutions to limit the spread of this scourge and perform a national strategy to fight cancer.