The King Salman Center for Humanitarian Aid and Relief announced that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has provided US$10 million to counter the existing threat posed by the oil tanker Safer, anchored on the Red Sea coast north of the Yemeni city of Hodeidah.
In a press statement today, the Center stated that the Kingdom has always supported the efforts of the United Nations to counter and prevent potential economic, humanitarian and environmental threats to the Safer oil tanker and the consequences of the oil spill from it. which could cause a major environmental and navigational disaster threatening the Red Sea coastline, fishing communities, international shipping and the flow of food, fuel and rescue supplies to Yemen, exacerbating the humanitarian situation and endangering countries bordering the Red Sea. Sea, emphasizing that the Kingdom has repeatedly warned that in the event of an oil leak from the Safer tanker, which has a capacity of more than one million barrels and has not been serviced since 2015, the world will witness the largest environmental disaster that threatens underwater life, fisheries and biodiversity as a result oil spill.
He said: “During the celebration of the United Nations World Oceans Day on June 8, 2022, the need to step up collective action to protect the oceans was highlighted, as the oceans are one of the main sources of food and the biggest ally in the world. face to face with climate change, and the Kingdom follows international developments in this regard as part of its concern for the conservation of the most important marine resources and ecosystems.
In the interests of the Kingdom, represented by the King Salman Relief Center, to stabilize Yemen and support international efforts to find solutions to everything that threatens international peace and security, several meetings and discussions have been held with the international community on this issue to achieve the need to support the Safer Tanker Rescue Plan , and in continuation of the previous support provided for the maintenance of this tanker. And in support of the efforts of the UN organizations to find an appropriate plan to neutralize the potential danger of this tanker, the Kingdom today provided the amount of 10 million US dollars, and the Kingdom urges the United Nations to quickly accept the necessary measures to ensure that oil does not leak and is transferred to a safe place or benefited from it for the benefit of the brotherly Yemeni people, and calls on the international community to do its part. It is urgent to support this initiative and prevent a serious environmental catastrophe.