UN / YEMEN UPDATE

20-Apr-2023 00:02:20
A UN spokesperson said that 78 people died and many were injured in a stampede outside the Old City of Sana’a in Yemen. He also updated reporters on the FCO Safer oil tanker. UNIFEED
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STORY: UN / YEMEN UPDATE
TRT: 2:20
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 20 APRIL 2023, NEW YORK CITY / RECENT
SHOTLIST
RECENT – NEW YORK CITY

1.Wide shot, exterior, United Nations

20 APRIL 2023, NEW YORK CITY

2. Wide shot, press briefing room
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, United Nations:
“The UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen, David Gressly, expressed his sadness that scores of people lost their lives in a stampede outside the Old City of Sana’a yesterday. He said this tragedy is particularly painful coming at the time of Eid al-Fatr, which is normally a joyous time for families to celebrate the end of the holy month of Ramadan. Initial reports indicate that 78 people died in the incident and as many were injured. Mr. Gressly offered his sincere condolences and sympathy to the families and friends of the victims and wish all those who were injured a speedy recovery. He confirmed that the UN has been in contact with the de facto authorities in Sana’a to offer support.”
4. Med shot, reporters
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, United Nations:
“Meanwhile, the maritime services company Boskalis’s support vessel Ndeavor will sail en route to the Red Sea in the coming hours. The multipurpose support vessel Ndeavor, which will sail with its crew and experts, is loaded with generators, hydraulic pumps and other specialized equipment to carry out the operation on the FSO Safer, which no longer has functioning systems."
6. Med shot, reporters
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, United Nations:
"On Wednesday, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) finalized the contract for the Boskalis subsidiary SMIT Salvage to transfer the million barrels of oil aboard the FSO Safer to a safe replacement vessel and prepare the Safer for towing to a green scrapping yard. The work off Yemen’s Ras Isa peninsula is expected to begin in May. UNDP earlier secured the replacement vessel, Nautica, which will take on the oil from the Safer.”
8. Wide shot, reporters
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, United Nations:
“David Gressly, added today that we urgently need to close the $29 million funding gap for the emergency operation and raise the additional funds needed to ensure safe long-term storage of the oil. To fill the budget gap, the UN is appealing to Member States and private entities, as well as the global public through a crowdfunding appeal to which thousands of individuals have already contributed.”
10. Wide shot, reporters
STORYLINE
A UN spokesperson said that 78 people died and many were injured in a stampede outside the Old City of Sana’a in Yemen. He also updated reporters on the FCO Safer oil tanker.

Briefing reporters today (20 Apr) in New York, Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, said, “The UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen, David Gressly, expressed his sadness that scores of people lost their lives in a stampede outside the Old City of Sana’a yesterday. He said this tragedy is particularly painful coming at the time of Eid al-Fatr, which is normally a joyous time for families to celebrate the end of the holy month of Ramadan.”

Haq continued, “Mr. Gressly offered his sincere condolences and sympathy to the families and friends of the victims and wish all those who were injured a speedy recovery. He confirmed that the UN has been in contact with the de facto authorities in Sana’a to offer support.”

Haq also reported, “Meanwhile, the maritime services company Boskalis’s support vessel Ndeavor will sail en route to the Red Sea in the coming hours.”

According to Haq, “The multipurpose support vessel Ndeavor, which will sail with its crew and experts, is loaded with generators, hydraulic pumps and other specialized equipment to carry out the operation on the FSO Safer, which no longer has functioning systems.”

Haq noted, “On Wednesday, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) finalized the contract for the Boskalis subsidiary SMIT Salvage to transfer the million barrels of oil aboard the FSO Safer to a safe replacement vessel and prepare the Safer for towing to a green scrapping yard.”

The work off Yemen’s Ras Isa peninsula is expected to begin in May. “UNDP earlier secured the replacement vessel, Nautica, which will take on the oil from the Safer,” he said.

The UN Deputy Spokesperson also said, “David Gressly, added today that we urgently need to close the 29 million USD funding gap for the emergency operation and raise the additional funds needed to ensure safe long-term storage of the oil.”

He concluded, “To fill the budget gap, the UN is appealing to Member States and private entities, as well as the global public through a crowdfunding appeal to which thousands of individuals have already contributed.”

The Safer has not been maintained since 2015 because of the conflict in Yemen. It has decayed to the point where there is an imminent risk it could explode or break apart, which would have disastrous effects on the region.
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