CARACAS, May 29, 2020 - A plane carrying 12 tonnes of humanitarian aid, aimed at providing nutritional support and improving access to safe water for thousands of families, has landed in the country to support the United Nations humanitarian response. With this shipment, the United Nations has brought more than 100 tons of humanitarian assistance to Venezuela since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, thanks to generous funding from the international community.
This UNICEF shipment includes 127,000 water purification tablets, 18 water tanks and 40,000 nutritional support packages. These supplies complement UNICEF's response, which has already delivered some 90 tonnes of supplies to 189 health institutions, including 38 sentinel hospitals, clinics and community health centres in 13 states.
"This is the second humanitarian shipment from the United Nations in support of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic and its socio-economic impact in Venezuela. These vital supplies will help provide nutrition assistance and access to safe water to thousands of families and will be distributed to health centers and the most vulnerable communities," said Peter Grohmann, UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator in Venezuela. "I would like to thank the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany for its efforts and for providing the transport for this important shipment that will help save many lives.
To date, the UN and other partners have reached one million people as part of the COVID-19 response and in the continuity of other critical response areas of health, shelter and equipment, food, protection, education and nutrition, including for returnees.
The United Nations and partners have launched an appeal for $72 million to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and to ensure the continuation of other critical activities in the framework of the COVID-19 Prevention and Care Plan in Venezuela. "I am grateful for the support of international donors who to date have helped the UN and its partners to expand the response in a timely manner; and I reiterate the UN's call for solidarity, humanitarian access and increased contributions that will allow us to continue reaching the most vulnerable people," said UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Peter Grohmann.
The United Nations works based on the humanitarian principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality and independence and calls on all sectors not to politicize humanitarian action.
