Briefing the Security Council on Wednesday (16 Aug), the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs’ Director of Operations and Advocacy, Edem Wosornu, spoke about the environmental threat averted on 11 August after the completion of the ship-to-ship transfer of more than one million barrels of oil from the FSO Safer to a replacement vessel.
Wosornu said, “This is the culmination of years of tireless advocacy, collaboration, and innovative problem-solving. It is a significant milestone, and I commend the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, David Gressly, and the United Nations Development Programme for stepping up and taking on this colossal task. However, the work does not stop here. We must now complete the second phase of the operation in accordance with our agreements with the relevant authorities.”
The United Nations needs to close a $22 million funding gap to complete the second phase of the operation.
