Fund-raising for Socotra off target, date extended

Arab Regional Centre for World Heritage (ARCWH) has extended the date of fund-raising for the people of Yemeni island Socotra till Feb 18, as they could not achieve their target, said ARCWH Director Mounir Bouchenaki.

Speaking to the DT News yesterday, Mounir said they had set the amount of BD 5000 as the target but they had so far received only BD3000. 

“Unfortunately we didn’t reach the target. The boxes are still there and the people who want to donate can come and donate,” he explained.

A charity event was held under the patronage of Germany on the ARWCH premises on Feb 3 in which the Ambassadors of Germany, UK, France and Yemen took part besides Yemen’s Environment and Water Minister Dr Azza Shareen and the representatives of UNESCO, UNEP, IUCN and Friends of Socotra (an NGO).

The ARCWH Director said the Government of Yemen was displaced and its capital is still under siege, so it would be a big challenge to help the people of Socotra island.

Socotra, generally known as the Paradise of the Indian Ocean, was devastated by two consecutive hurricanes in November 2015. “In my eyes Socotra Island is equivalent to the Galapagos of Ecuador with indigenous species of trees, birds and fish,” he said.

He expressed hope that peace would return to Yemen soon and they would be able to do official fund-raising with countries participating as they did for other conflict-stricken areas like Iraq, Afghanistan and Bosnia Herzegovina.

He said that the population of Socotra Island was already suffering from the lack of food and electricity, but if they lost what was their natural and cultural environment, then life would not be easy for them.

He said that they had a number of Bahraini friends here who were touched by the fact that Socotra was devastated by the two hurricanes. He said that finally they were successful in conducting two operations – two-day technical and scientific meeting “Emergency Response Plan for Socotra archipelago (EmRP)” and the charity event.

He said that their people knew the place very well and they were well aware of the challenges ahead in Socotra related to the projects and the questions of management as they had been there before the hurricanes. 

“We are under UNESCO, but another UN body extended its hand of help. Switzerland also sent an expert from Geneva to participate in the meeting and of course the specialists of nature in the centre and we are supported by the University of Frankfort,” he adds. 

The meeting came out with the recommendations, which will be made public shortly.

He said that unfortunately another BD5000 is still blocked at the level of Central Bank and they were trying to find out a solution.

He said that in Bahrain, the government officials are very sensitive and supportive and they had never any issue of visas and they were thankful to the Foreign Ministry as well. There are many other places where they cannot invite people because of visa issues.