Funds Needed to Implement United Nations Plan for Preventing Potential Oil-Spill Disaster, Secretary-General Tells Pledging Event on FSO ‘Safer’

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ video message to the pledging event on the FSO Safer, at The Hague today:

I send my warm greetings to everyone attending this event, and I thank you for supporting efforts to prevent an ecological and humanitarian disaster off the coast of Yemen.

The Safer oil tanker threatens to spill more than 1 million barrels of oil into the Red Sea, devastating the coast, destroying livelihoods, depleting fisheries and potentially disrupting traffic through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal.

The United Nations plan for the Safer can stop this disaster before it starts.  In recent months, the UN has worked closely with all stakeholders to get to a clear way forward that enjoys widespread support.  Now we need the funds to implement the plan.

Today’s event is a critical step to preventing a catastrophe that would affect Yemen, the region and the world.  I thank all those whose efforts have helped us to reach this point, and the Netherlands for co-hosting today’s event.

I urge all Yemen’s partners to provide full funding so that work can start immediately.  There isn’t a moment to lose.  Thank you.