Plane with UN humanitarian aid arrives today in Venezuela with supplies of nutrition, water, hygiene and sanitation

CARACAS, May 29, 2020.- A plane carrying 12 tons of humanitarian aid, aimed at providing nutritional support and improving access to safe water for thousands of families, arrives in the country today 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 purifying tablets, 18 water tanks, and 40,000 nutritional support packages. These supplies complement UNICEF's response, which, for its part, has already distributed some 90 tons of supplies to 189 health institutions, including 38 sentinel hospitals, clinics, and community health centers in 13 states.

"This is the second humanitarian shipment by 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 they will be distributed in health centers and in the most vulnerable communities, "said Peter Grohmann, UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator in Venezuela. "I want to thank the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany for its management and for providing transportation for this important shipment that will help save many lives."

To date, the United Nations 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 supplies, food, protection, education, and nutrition, including for returnees.

The United Nations and partners have appealed for $72 million dollars to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and ensure the continuation of other critical activities within the framework of the COVID-19 Prevention and Care Plan in Venezuela. “I appreciate 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 call for solidarity, humanitarian access and increased contributions that allow us to continue reaching the most vulnerable people, ”said UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Peter Grohmann.

The United Nations works on the basis of the humanitarian principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality and independence and calls on all sectors not to politicize humanitarian action.