[29/09/2021 01:37]

ADEN-SABA
Minister of Water and Environment Tawfeeq al-Sharjabi has warned of Houthi militia's use of Safir Oil Tanker as a paper to blackmail the international community and as a weapon threatening Yemen and countries overlooking the Red Sea if the long-stranded tanker on sea's water leaks or sinks.

Participating through Video conferencing in the Nineth Round of the Signatory Countries of Water Treaty is being held in Geneva under the motto of " Water and Peace," al-Sharjabi said the potential explosion of the tanker, which is containing more than a million of crude oil.

If this oil leaks or the tanker sinks will pollute 8523 water wells and many valleys, he said.

He reviewed the national plan to implement the treaty and challenges facing Yemen to realize water security, stressing significance of protecting water infrastructure and working on making water a part of peace.

He pointed out to daily suffering experienced by displaced people and hosting communities in Yemen over Houthi militia's war and bombarding water infrastructure, forcing people return to buy water from owners of water trucks with very high coast.

He pointed out to Houthi militia's control of water resources in populated provinces like Taiz, which has been suffering from water scarcity for decades, confirming that the militia does not refrain from using water as war weapon to pressure the people and blackmail the government.

Minister of Water and Environment al-Sharjabi called upon the international community to link access to water with environmental issues and environment change as priority in the international agenda for building peace.

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