British officials leading an international conference on the Safer oil tanker, which is disintegrating in the Red Sea near Yemen, are confident that pledges at a summit on Thursday will meet a UN funding target for a ship-to-ship oil transfer.
Andrew Mitchell, the British development minister, is hosting the pledging summit with Dutch minister Liesje Schreinemacher to call for another $29 million to complete the operation, which would end the seven-year threat of an oil spill four times greater than the Exxon Valdez.
The UK is one of the biggest donors to the $100 million-plus rescue mission for the FSO Safer, a UN-led operation.
Britain is ready to lift its own contribution by a third to $10 million to get the finances over the line, if other pledges are made at the call.
“Be in no doubt, this is a looming ecological and environmental disaster,” Mr Mitchell told The National.
“Cleaning out the spill, were it to happen, would cost up to $20 billion, and spending tens of millions of dollars now obviously saves tens of billions in the future.
“We're very happy that we've got people's attention. We now need to get them to open their wallets.”
The scale of the environmental threat is immense, as is the prospect of a block along world shipping lanes if a spill impeded transit through the Suez Canal.
One tenth of world trade could be blocked in the artery. Add to that the urgency of access to Sudan through the Red Sea.
An oil spill from the cracked tanker, which holds more than a million barrels of Yemen-extracted oil, could increase instability, from the south-western tip of the Arabian Peninsula all the way to Libya.
The transfer operation is a two-stage project with a technical challenge preceding more negotiations on what to do next.
Unloading the vessel would be a first step to resolving a stand-off in which missiles held by Yemen's Houthi rebels are trained on the tanker.
Mr Mitchell told The National that what happens next depends on further negotiations with the armed group that ousted Yemen’s internationally recognised government in 2015.
“The Houthis have missiles pointing at the ship so the ship is not going to go anywhere,” he said. “We need to make the cargo safe and trans-ship it to the replacement vessel.
“Any agreement depends on agreement with those who have missiles pointed at the ship.
“The Saudis now have a dialogue with the Houthis and of course the UN as the special representative of the Secretary General engaged and the [UK] also are engaged through our envoy.”
The Houthis have missiles pointing at the ship so the ship is not going to go anywhere
Andrew Mitchell
The roots of the Safer crisis can be traced back to the 1980s when it was commissioned by the country as a storage vessel for oil.
The former Esso Japan was then positioned off Yemen’s Ras Isa peninsula since 1988 as a holding terminal for Yemen’s locally produced oil from Marib.
The condition of the 400-metre tanker has deteriorated over time and it become a pawn in the war. According to the UN it could explode or break up at any time.
Efforts to start the unloading process fell apart in 2019 when the Houthis withdrew from the UN plan in 2019.
It is now scheduled to resume this month with the arrival of the Nautica, a very large crude carrier (VLCC), which set sail from Zhoushan, China, last month.
Soaring costs played a role in prompting Mr Mitchell’s meeting on Thursday. The charter rates for VLCCs have leapt since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
The costs of inaction loom over the UN’s estimate that the mission is now going absorb about $129 million when its previous commitments were $95 million.
An oil spill would result in the immediate closure of the key port of Hodeidah, which would block supplies of vital humanitarian aid to 17 million Yemenis.
Fishing communities on Yemen’s Red Sea coast would face catastrophe, with 200,000 livelihoods wiped out.
Mr Mitchell is urging his colleagues who arrive at the meeting on Thursday to consider the regional implications of not finishing the task of emptying the Safer.
“It would worsen the already devastating humanitarian crisis in Yemen and likely close ports importing life-saving supplies,” he said.
“Bear in mind that many of the countries who we are seeking to get donations from are delivering aid into Yemen, so they obviously care about it and they would be greatly hampered by a spill.”
Hanging over all regional diplomacy is the need to build on the ceasefire between the warring factions in Sudan, where Mr Mitchell as Africa Minister has been playing a key role in evacuating almost 3,000 people.
Efforts to engage the warring generals in Khartoum revolve around humanitarian concerns since there were already 16 million people in the country who depended on support from outside.
Mr Mitchell warned that the “sinews of humanitarian relief” have already been withdrawn.
“The position is absolutely critical and absolutely dependent on the two generals stopping this fight for power and to agree to a permanent ceasefire, so that we can both address humanitarian issues and get to political talks about a civilian regime taking over,” he said.
“I think the pressure on them is unprecedented but they are in Sudan so they will hopefully listen to what everyone outside has unanimously said.”
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
The biog
Favourite films: Casablanca and Lawrence of Arabia
Favourite books: Start with Why by Simon Sinek and Good to be Great by Jim Collins
Favourite dish: Grilled fish
Inspiration: Sheikh Zayed's visionary leadership taught me to embrace new challenges.
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
THE BIO
Favourite place to go to in the UAE: The desert sand dunes, just after some rain
Who inspires you: Anybody with new and smart ideas, challenging questions, an open mind and a positive attitude
Where would you like to retire: Most probably in my home country, Hungary, but with frequent returns to the UAE
Favorite book: A book by Transilvanian author, Albert Wass, entitled ‘Sword and Reap’ (Kard es Kasza) - not really known internationally
Favourite subjects in school: Mathematics and science
Torbal Rayeh Wa Jayeh
Starring: Ali El Ghoureir, Khalil El Roumeithy, Mostafa Abo Seria
Stars: 3
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THE BIO: Martin Van Almsick
Hometown: Cologne, Germany
Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)
Favourite dessert: Umm Ali with dark camel milk chocolate flakes
Favourite hobby: Football
Breakfast routine: a tall glass of camel milk
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match info
Maratha Arabians 138-2
C Lynn 91*, A Lyth 20, B Laughlin 1-15
Team Abu Dhabi 114-3
L Wright 40*, L Malinga 0-13, M McClenaghan 1-17
Maratha Arabians won by 24 runs
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Villains
Queens of the Stone Age
Matador
FFP EXPLAINED
What is Financial Fair Play?
Introduced in 2011 by Uefa, European football’s governing body, it demands that clubs live within their means. Chiefly, spend within their income and not make substantial losses.
What the rules dictate?
The second phase of its implementation limits losses to €30 million (Dh136m) over three seasons. Extra expenditure is permitted for investment in sustainable areas (youth academies, stadium development, etc). Money provided by owners is not viewed as income. Revenue from “related parties” to those owners is assessed by Uefa's “financial control body” to be sure it is a fair value, or in line with market prices.
What are the penalties?
There are a number of punishments, including fines, a loss of prize money or having to reduce squad size for European competition – as happened to PSG in 2014. There is even the threat of a competition ban, which could in theory lead to PSG’s suspension from the Uefa Champions League.
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
THE BIO
Favourite holiday destination: Whenever I have any free time I always go back to see my family in Caltra, Galway, it’s the only place I can properly relax.
Favourite film: The Way, starring Martin Sheen. It’s about the Camino de Santiago walk from France to Spain.
Personal motto: If something’s meant for you it won’t pass you by.
The End of Loneliness
Benedict Wells
Translated from the German by Charlotte Collins
Sceptre
The%20US%20Congress%2C%20explained
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Company Fact Box
Company name/date started: Abwaab Technologies / September 2019
Founders: Hamdi Tabbaa, co-founder and CEO. Hussein Alsarabi, co-founder and CTO
Based: Amman, Jordan
Sector: Education Technology
Size (employees/revenue): Total team size: 65. Full-time employees: 25. Revenue undisclosed
Stage: early-stage startup
Investors: Adam Tech Ventures, Endure Capital, Equitrust, the World Bank-backed Innovative Startups SMEs Fund, a London investment fund, a number of former and current executives from Uber and Netflix, among others.
Iftar programme at the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding
Established in 1998, the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding was created with a vision to teach residents about the traditions and customs of the UAE. Its motto is ‘open doors, open minds’. All year-round, visitors can sign up for a traditional Emirati breakfast, lunch or dinner meal, as well as a range of walking tours, including ones to sites such as the Jumeirah Mosque or Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood.
Every year during Ramadan, an iftar programme is rolled out. This allows guests to break their fast with the centre’s presenters, visit a nearby mosque and observe their guides while they pray. These events last for about two hours and are open to the public, or can be booked for a private event.
Until the end of Ramadan, the iftar events take place from 7pm until 9pm, from Saturday to Thursday. Advanced booking is required.
For more details, email openminds@cultures.ae or visit www.cultures.ae
ASIAN%20RUGBY%20CHAMPIONSHIP%202024
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MATCH INFO
Cricket World Cup League Two
Oman, UAE, Namibia
Al Amerat, Muscat
Results
Oman beat UAE by five wickets
UAE beat Namibia by eight runs
Namibia beat Oman by 52 runs
UAE beat Namibia by eight wickets
UAE v Oman - abandoned
Oman v Namibia - abandoned
Learn more about Qasr Al Hosn
In 2013, The National's History Project went beyond the walls to see what life was like living in Abu Dhabi's fabled fort:
UAE squad
Rohan Mustafa (captain), Ashfaq Ahmed, Ghulam Shabber, Rameez Shahzad, Mohammed Boota, Mohammed Usman, Adnan Mufti, Shaiman Anwar, Ahmed Raza, Imran Haider, Qadeer Ahmed, Mohammed Naveed, Amir Hayat, Zahoor Khan
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Transmission: ten-speed
Power: 420bhp
Torque: 624Nm
Price: Dh325,125
On sale: Now
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
