The United Nations has indicated that it is currently working to find some emergency solutions to address the financing gap in the costs of implementing the first phase of the salvage operation for the corroded Safer oil tanker, which is anchored about 9 kilometers from the western coast of Yemen, to ensure the implementation of the operation on time.
"We are currently working on some emergency temporary funding solutions in order not to jeopardize the schedule or the operation as a whole," said UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner. He pointed out that there are "indications from many quarters that are considering providing more funding, at a time when all eyes are on the donor pledge meeting, which will be hosted by the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, which will be held on May 4." Steiner expressed his hope for new contributions from private sector companies, especially in the oil and gas sector, and said: “We also look forward to leaders in the corporate world to provide their contributions. This is a group project and I hope we can get firm commitments from these companies to raise the required amount within the next three weeks.” The UN official confirmed that work is underway to accomplish the mission, but it still needs full funding in order to succeed, as the need for $29 million has not yet been secured.
It is noteworthy that the replacement tanker (Nautica) is currently in the port of Pulau Simacao Island, Singapore, where it stopped to refuel, and is scheduled to leave the port next Tuesday to complete its journey to the Red Sea, and is scheduled to arrive by early May.
Saeed Aljaafari (Aden) saeed_aljafare @
