United Nations humanitarian chief announces the strengthening of humanitarian efforts in the Caribbean

(Panama City, 9 September, 2008): During a four-day visit to the Latin American region, John Holmes, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, announced that an appeal is being finalized as part of the humanitarian efforts being carried out in Haiti, one of the Caribbean nations severely affected by the 2008 hurricane season.

Mr. Holmes also said that the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) is being used to support response operations being carried out in the region. The Bahamas, the Cayman Islands, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, Puerto Rico and some cities of the United States have been affected by the impact of hurricanes and tropical storms in 2008, in particular by Fay, Gustav, Hannah and now Ike.

He mentioned that the extent of the disasters surpassed countries' capacities and has complicated other problems such as poverty and the effects of the global food crisis, especially in Haiti, which was impacted by four consecutive storms, affecting up to 800,000 people.

The Under-Secretary-General highlighted the coordination of United Nations agencies (the World Food Programme, the United Nations Children's Fund, the Pan-American Health Organisation, the World Health Organisation and the United Nations Development Programme) and other humanitarian partners, including the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent,Societies, Telecoms sans frontieres and Map Action, among others, which have deployed specialists in various disciplines on the ground in order to ensure a coordinated response.

Hurricane Ike, the fourth hurricane of this season, hit Cuba today, for the second time in less than two days, killing four people and causing massive damage to homes and other buildings. In Turks and Caicos, hit by Hurricane Ike on Saturday, 85% of housing and infrastructure has been damaged.

For further information, please call: Stephanie Burker, OCHA-New York,+1 917 367 5126, movile + 1 917 892 1679; Elisabeth Byrs, OCHA-Geneva, + 41 22 917 2653, mobile, +41 79 473 4570: Luis Carlos Sanjur V, OCHA-ROLAC + 507 317-1748, mobile + 507 6679-2212