World

UN-ship arrives to pump oil from decaying Yemen tanker

A UN-owned ship arrived off war-torn Yemen on Sunday for a risky operation to pump more than a million barrels of oil from a decaying tanker and prevent a catastrophic spill.
After years of tense diplomacy between the United Nations, Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis and the internationally recognized government, the Nautica entered Yemeni waters at midday, and was expected to moor soon alongside the FSO Safer, a rusting super-tanker in the Red Sea.
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The delicate operation to transfer 1.14 million barrels of Marib light crude to the Nautica, bought by the United Nations for the operation, is expected to begin towards the end of the coming week.
Despite stringent safety checks, concerns remain about a spill or an explosion. The Safer is carrying four times as much oil as was spilled in the 1989 Exxon Valdez disaster off Alaska.
“The risk is high. The risk is very high,” said Mohammed Mudawi, the UN Development Programme (UNDP) project manager for the ship Safer.
“But we are hoping with the completion of the project that this will be eliminated.”
Maintenance operations on the Safer were suspended in 2015 because of Yemen’s war, and the UNDP has for years warned it could “explode at any time.”
A major spill could result in ecological disaster, devastate Yemeni fishing communities, and close lifeline ports and desalination plants.
The potential spill — which could cost more than $20 billion to clean up — would possibly reach Saudi Arabia, Eritrea, Djibouti and Somalia, the UN has warned.

‘Really hot, really quickly’

Scorching summer temperatures, ageing pipes and sea mines lurking in surrounding waters all pose threats to the operation, which has been under preparation since late May by experts from the private company SMIT Salvage.
The team has inspected the vessel, arranged transfer pumps and hoses and pumped inert gas into cargo tanks to lower the risk of an explosion, David Gressly, the UN’s resident coordinator for Yemen, told the Security Council on Monday.
Working at the height of summer, when on-deck temperatures soar above 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit), is an additional hazard, said Nick Quinn, a senior adviser for the project.
“It becomes really hot, really quickly,” Quinn said, noting that this increases the odds of “slips, trips and falls” on deck for workers donning heavy personal protective equipment.
The 47-year-old Safer has been moored off Yemen’s coast since the 1980s, when it was converted into a floating storage and offloading unit.
The Nautica sailed from Djibouti on Saturday, arriving in Yemeni waters before midday on Sunday.
Gressly, who was aboard the new ship, told AFP that local officials went out to see it on Sunday.
“We feel pretty confident now that this is going to go forward. We believe through all the statements that we’ve received and the assurances, both private and public, that the transfer will go through,” Gressly said.

Saga won’t end there

Out past mangrove stands and other tankers bearing gas and grains, the Safer’s position — around 50 kilometers (30 miles) from the port of Hodeida — is rich in the type of wildlife that would be devastated by a spill.
When AFP visited the Safer on Saturday, dolphins flashed their fins within sight of the ship, and cormorants could be seen on the rudder, which they have made their home for years.
Mudawi said lingering concerns about the Safer’s infrastructure require oil-pumping to start during the day, at least 10 hours before sunset, to ensure all connections are secure and that workers can monitor for leaks.
Once underway, UN officials expect the transfer of oil from the Safer to the Nautica to take about three weeks.
The saga won’t end there, however, because the question of who owns the oil will still need to be resolved by the warring Yemeni factions.
The Nautica will soon be renamed Yemen and will stay in the area as ownership talks continue.
“Once we transfer the oil, we would have to then take care of the new vessel,” said Edrees al-Shami, the Houthi-appointed executive general manager of SEPOC, the Yemeni oil and gas company.
Shami’s appointment is not acknowledged by the internationally recognized government, which has named its own SEPOC head.
“So we move the problem from an older, ageing vessel to a newer vessel,” Shami said.
“But the sea conditions are very rough, and if you don’t maintain it for a while then you go back to the same problem.”
Read more:
UN 'step closer' to begin transfer of 1 mln barrels of oil from tanker in Red Sea
Crude oil transfer from a decaying tanker off Yemen to start next week, UN says
UN still short of $28 mln in effort to defuse Safer oil tanker off Yemen coast

Original Article

World

Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi meets with CEOs of leading Norwegian companies

H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, has met with a group of CEOs from leading Norwegian companies, as part of their participation in the UAE-Norway Investment Forum, held alongside his official visit to the Kingdom of Norway.

During the meeting, H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed underscored the UAE leadership’s commitment to strengthening economic cooperation with its international partners.

He highlighted that investment in innovation and knowledge is a cornerstone for achieving sustainable development, noting that enhancing collaboration with Norwegian companies across key sectors will open new avenues for mutual economic growth between the two countries.

The UAE-Norway Investment Forum, taking place in Oslo, aimed to highlight available investment opportunities and strengthen trade relations between the UAE and Norway, fostering shared interests and supporting innovation and knowledge-based economic visions.

-wam

World

At the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS inaugurates 10th global office, releases four books

As part of its Asian research tour, partnership with Aletihad News Center, and
primary sponsorship of the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS
Research & Advisory inaugurated its office in Jakarta, marking its 10th location
worldwide. It also released four books in Indonesian.
The inauguration event was attended by ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, and
Jordan to Indonesia, chairpersons of the UAE and Indonesian Publishers’
Associations, the Director of TRENDS’ Jakarta office, and a group of researchers
and academics.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali, CEO of TRENDS
Research & Advisory, stated that TRENDS’ international offices—set to reach 15
by the end of 2024—aim to enhance the Center’s research efforts and deepen its
role in disseminating knowledge, thus serving as a global knowledge bridge.
He emphasized, “At TRENDS, we believe in the importance of cooperation
between think tanks and prioritize this endeavor. We believe the TRENDS office in
Jakarta will enhance the exchange of knowledge and ideas between think tanks in
Asia and the Middle East, opening new horizons for collaboration in various
fields.”

Four books in Indonesian
As part of the Jakarta office’s inaugural activities, four books were released in
Indonesian, including the 11th and 12th books of the Muslim Brotherhood
Encyclopedia and Global Trends in AI and Automation and the Future of
Competition between Man and Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision.

Hostility to Arab states
The 11th book of the Muslim Brotherhood Encyclopedia, The Concept of the State
According to the Muslim Brotherhood, highlights its hostile stance toward Arab
states since its inception. The group views them as an obstacle to its ascent to
power. It opposed the modern principles upon which these states were built,
considering them incompatible with the group’s unique interpretation of Islam,
which it claimed to embody exclusively.

Exclusion of nonconformists
The 12th book, The Muslim Brotherhood: Rejection of Tolerance and Exclusion of
Nonconformists, examines the Muslim Brotherhood’s stance towards
nonconformists, individuals, and entities. The book reveals the group’s binary view
of the world, categorizing others as allies or adversaries. It ties these relationships
to the Brotherhood’s internal power struggles and self-serving interests.

Global Trends in AI
The third book, Global Trends in AI, explores significant developments in AI and
its impact on various aspects of life, including the economy, society, and
governance. It also offers a comprehensive analysis of technological advancements
in AI, its applications across sectors, the ethical and social challenges it presents,
and its future trajectory.

Automation

The fourth book, Automation and the Future of Competition between Man and
Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision, addresses the growing challenges
faced by the human workforce in the face of widespread automation and AI
applications. The book concludes that while automation presents a significant
challenge to the labor market, it simultaneously creates new opportunities. It
emphasizes the importance of preparing for this shift through skills development,
continuous education, and adopting economic and social policies that support the
workforce.

Prominent pavilion and active presence
The TRENDS’ pavilion at the Indonesia International Book Fair has attracted
numerous visitors, including academic researchers and officials, such as the
ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, and Turkey. Additionally,
chairpersons of Arab and Indonesian publishers’ associations, authors, publishers,
and students visited the pavilion. All were impressed with and praised TRENDS’ diverse, valuable publications. They also commended TRENDS’ active
international presence and ability to address global developments with rigorous
analytical research.
Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali honored the esteemed guests, including
ambassadors of the UAE and Bahrain to Indonesia, Wedha Startesti Yudha,
Chairperson of the Indonesia International Book Fair Committee, Arys Hilman
Nugraha, Chairman of the Indonesian Publishers Association, and others,
presenting them with TRENDS’ publications and commemorative shields.
Additionally, he awarded TRENDS’ Research Medal to Ni Made Ayu Martini
Indonesian Deputy Minister of Marketing, Tourism and Creative Economy
It is worth noting that during its current Asian research tour, TRENDS announced
the launch of the TRENDS Research Medal, awarded to individuals who make
significant contributions to the development of scientific research and promote collaboration with TRENDS in strengthening a culture of research across various fields.

World

US determined to prevent full-scale war in Middle East, Joe Biden tells UNGA79

US President Joe Biden highlighted the US Administration’s determination to prevent a wider war that engulfs the entire Middle East region, noting that a diplomatic solution “remains the only path to lasting security to allow the residents from both countries to return to their homes on the border safely”.

In remarks he made today before the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA79), the US President said, “Full-scale war is not in anyone’s interest,” adding that a diplomatic solution is still possible.

He also touched on “the rise of violence against innocent Palestinians on the West Bank”, and the need to “set the conditions for a better future”, which he said featured “a two-state solution, where the world — where Israel enjoys security and peace and full recognition and normalised relations with all its neighbours, where Palestinians live in security, dignity, and self-determination in a state of their own”.

President Biden underscored the ceasefire and hostage deal put forth by Qatar and Egypt, which the UN Security Council endorsed. He said, “Now is the time for the parties to finalise its terms, bring the hostages home,” adding that this would help ease the suffering in Gaza, and end the war.

-WAM