Localization in Saudi military industries rises to 19.35%    Logistics park for vehicles worth SR300 million to be set up at Dammam port    Commerce Ministry recalls 6,500 Genesis cars due to risk of fire    HONOR KSA expands its presence with new flagship Experience Store in Riyadh HONOR's first flagship store in KSA provides visitors with a premium experience, exciting offers and free services    Saudi, Iranian foreign ministers discuss Oman-mediated talks with US    Prince Sultan University launches first bachelor's program in language and media    Al-Falih: Eastern Province hosts 700 investment opportunities worth SR330 billion    India demolishes houses of 10 alleged militants days after deadly Kashmir attack    Yemen's Houthis claim dozens killed in US strike on prison holding African migrants    Putin announces three-day Russian ceasefire in Ukraine from 8 May    Crown Prince donates SR1 billion to support housing for eligible families    Suspect charged after Vancouver car ramming leaves 11 dead    Rock & Roll Hall of Fame picks Outkast but not Oasis    Makkah police arrest Yemeni and Egyptian suspects of fake Hajj campaign    Duran leads Al Nassr past Yokohama Marinos into AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Al Ahli cruise past Buriram into AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Saudi orchestra to perform at Sydney Opera House in May    Al Hilal thrash Gwangju to reach AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Saudi Theater Commission launches its Work and Learn Project in UK    The season has begun — and one comment shook us all    Pakistani star's Bollywood return excites fans and riles far right    Veteran Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar dies at 87    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



UN Security Council holds Houthis responsible for Yemen's Safer oil tanker crisis
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 04 - 06 - 2021

The members of the United Nations Security Council reiterated Houthi responsibility for the situation and their extreme concern at the growing risk that the Safer oil tanker could rupture or explode, causing an environmental, economic, maritime and humanitarian catastrophe for Yemen and the region.
Following a briefing from top UN officials, the members of the UN Security Council stressed the need to urgently resolve outstanding issues and called on the Iran-backed Houthi militia to facilitate unconditional and safe access for UN experts to conduct a comprehensive and impartial assessment and initial repair mission, without further delay, ensuring close cooperation with the United Nations.
Earlier in the day, Inger Andersen, executive director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), and Reena Ghelani, director for Operations and Advocacy in the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), briefed the Security Council about the increasing environmental and humanitarian risks posed by the decaying Safer oil tanker located in the Houthi controlled territory of Yemen.
"We still do not know the exact condition of the vessel, nor what the best solution would be to deal with 1.1 million barrels of oil in an aging tanker located in an environmentally sensitive area of the Red Sea," said Andersen.
The UNEP chief painted a grim picture of the dire consequences of an oil leak, from health to the economy, impacting up to 670,000 livelihoods.
An oil leak could force the vital Hodeidah port to close, limiting food and fuel imports for two to three weeks and block 50 percent of fishing grounds, "with an estimate economic cost of around $350 million over five years", she said.
"The Red Sea is one of the planet's most important repositories of biodiversity", hosting internationally important marine mammals, sea turtles, sea birds and many other species, she continued, adding that coastal marine environments represent 86 percent of the country's mangrove cover.
And an oil spill would impact neighboring countries on the Red Sea, as well as one of the world's busiest commercial routes, she said.
Moreover, a fire or an explosion could leave some 4.8 million Yemenis and 350,000 Saudis exposed to harmful levels of pollution within 24-36 hours.
"About one million internally displaced people who live in Yemen could be covered by this smoke plume", triggering potentially severe health impacts in vulnerable populations, the UNEP chief spelled out.
Meanwhile, Reena Ghelani warned the UNSC members, saying there was "a good chance" that flammable gases are building up inside the tanker.
But because the UN has never been allowed to visit the site, it does not know exactly what the conditions are like onboard, making it impossible to say in assessing the work that can safely be performed.
"That is why the main purpose of the UN's mission has always been to assess the vessel's conditions," reminded Ghelani, adding that experts must impartially verify the evidence and evaluate the options to resolve the problem "once and for all".
She stressed that the UN has no preference on how the situation is ultimately solved, just so long as "it is done safely". — Agencies


Clic here to read the story from its source.