The State of Qatar announced an additional commitment of USD 1 million, bringing its total contribution to USD 3 million in support of the rescue operations coordinated by the United Nations to prevent the catastrophic leakage of the FSO Safer oil tanker.
This came in a speech delivered by HE Assistant Foreign Minister Lolwah bint Rashid Al Khater, in front of a high-level event on preventing oil spill in Red Sea from the tanker Safer, on the sidelines of the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Her Excellency indicated that the State of Qatar had announced a donation of two million dollars as urgent support for the plan, during the donation ceremony held last May and hosted by the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the United Nations.
Her Excellency expressed Qatar’s deep concern about the status of the tanker, noting that the lack of funding has already delayed the start of operations and led to the postponement of activities until next October, and this in turn increases the degree of risk of operations.
HE Assistant Foreign Minister explained that the risks posed by the current conditions of the tanker Safer moored off the Yemeni coast require urgent and immediate action, praising the rapid response of the United Nations to mitigate the threat and mobilize international support.
Her Excellency indicated that the potential oil spill would lead to an environmental disaster that would threaten the lives and livelihoods of countless individuals, as well as the rich biodiversity of the Red Sea, pointing out that the environmental damage would have high economic costs on the region.
Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs
