WILLEMSTAD – The Government of Curaçao has begun coordinating humanitarian assistance for neighboring Venezuela following the devastating earthquakes that struck the country on June 24.
Working closely with the Kingdom of the Netherlands' Ministry of Defense, the Curaçao government is facilitating the collection and shipment of emergency relief supplies to Venezuela. On Thursday, donated goods were gathered on pallets at Sambil Curaçao for transport to the affected areas.
According to the government, Curaçao has taken several concrete steps since the earthquakes to support its South American neighbor.
Immediately after the disaster, authorities arranged temporary accommodation for a group of Venezuelan passengers who were stranded on the island while waiting to continue their journey home. The government also streamlined several administrative procedures to enable Curaçao to serve as a humanitarian logistics hub for relief efforts.
Prime Minister Gilmar Pisas, who also serves as Minister of General Affairs, appointed Lesley Fer, director of the Directorate for Risk Management and Disaster Control (DRR), to coordinate the island's humanitarian response.
The government said DRR is working closely with organizations collecting donations at Sambil to ensure that relief supplies are transported quickly, efficiently and in accordance with the needs identified by Venezuelan authorities.
The logistics operation involves cooperation with the Royal Netherlands Navy, the Kingdom of the Netherlands' Ministry of Defense and the United States Department of Defense, which will assist in transporting humanitarian supplies to Venezuela.
Officials stressed that the relief effort is being coordinated to ensure that donated goods reach the people who need them most while complying with all legal and safety requirements for international humanitarian assistance.
The Curaçao government also reiterated its solidarity with the Venezuelan people and expressed gratitude to the many volunteers and organizations contributing to the relief effort.
