U.S. Special Envoy for Yemen Tim Lenderking will travel to the United Arab Emirates, Oman, and Saudi Arabia starting August 11, while members of his team travel to Jordan, as part of our vigorous diplomatic efforts to help secure an expansion of the UN-mediated truce and bolster peace efforts. The Special Envoy and his team will focus on helping meaningfully expand benefits of the truce to all Yemenis and pave the way for a permanent ceasefire and an inclusive, durable Yemeni-led resolution to the conflict. Special Envoy Lenderking will also discuss recent instability in Shabwa and the need for a return to calm.
During his trip, the Special Envoy will also highlight the need for additional financial assistance for Yemenis. The United States has already provided over $1 billion in humanitarian aid this year alone, bringing our total contribution to the humanitarian response in Yemen to nearly $5 billion since the crisis began eight years ago. We urge donors both to give generously and to make previous pledges immediately available for the sake of the people of Yemen.
While in the Gulf, the Special Envoy will also continue to support UN efforts to raise awareness and funds for the Safer oil tanker emergency project. With about $14 million unfunded and a UN-Houthi agreement to offload the oil to a temporary vessel, we are the closest we have ever been to addressing the threat posed by this derelict tanker. An oil spill would exacerbate the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, cause severe environmental damage, and impact global shipping and other economic activity.
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