Acting Tourism Minister demands protection of Socotra Archipelago

Acting Minister of Tourism Ahmed al-Aliee called on the UNESCO’s World Heritage Protection Committee and the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) to put pressure on the Saudi-Emirati aggression coalition to stop the sabotage and destructive actions carried out by it in the Socotra Archipelago.

Al-Aliee called on in a statement to Saba News Agency to mobilize international action to counter the destructive acts that threaten the ecosystem and vitality of Socotra archipelago, which has an exceptional natural value that is unparalleled elsewhere in the world and is on the UNESCO world natural heritage list.

He called upon UNESCO and the International Union to send a joint committee to assess the effects of the destructive acts resulting from the aggression and occupation in the archipelago aimed at removing it from the World Heritage List.

Al-Aliee explained that Socotra archipelago is facing a set of threats that are being implemented by the aggression coalition and occupation by transforming the archipelago into a center of conflict between its mercenaries, which must be stopped immediately.

Among the destructive acts on the island are establishing military camps, Tourist and leisure resorts which will lead to destroying coral reefs and the beauty of the beaches, Al-Aliee said.

The Acting Minister of Tourism appealed to the international community and the Security Council to intervene to stop the international conflict on the island of Socotra and take a firm stance to expel the aggression and occupation in order to work to ensure the preservation of the unique ecosystem of the island.