United Nations issues international appeal for assistance to Cuba

United Nations Office of the Resident Coordinator

Havana, 18 December. The United Nations System today issued an international appeal for assistance to Cuba to help the country overcome the consequences of two consecutive natural disasters --a prolonged drought and Hurricane Georges. Both disasters have worsened the situation created by the economic crisis evolving since the beginning of the decade and aggravated by strengthening of the economic, financial and commercial embargo.

These disasters are part of the major emergency currently affecting the Central American and Caribbean region. Despite its own difficulties, Cuba is currently providing humanitarian medical assistance to several countries in the region. Nonetheless, Cuba also needs assistance in areas of major importance, particularly for agricultural rehabilitation.

The appeal recalls that Cuban agriculture, depressed by the crisis and strongly affected by both meteorological disturbances, registers and important production deficit. To this must be added that the crisis forestalls large food imports, leading to a nutritional deficit despite efforts by the authorities.

The document reviews in detail the damages caused by both disasters to the water and sanitation systems, educational and health infrastructures, homes and other basic services such as the hydroelectric system supplying energy to isolated mountain areas.

The efforts by the national authorities, along with international assistance provided by the UN system --most notably by the World Food Programme, UNICEF, UNDP and FAO-- and other multi/bilateral sources, the European Union among others, and NGOs are detailed in the appeal.

Despite this assistance, the document notes that the lack of resources could worsen the impact of the emergencies, added to the economic crisis, on housing, nutritional and health, especially the possible spread of disease. The situation of the most vulnerable groups is cause of serious concern.

All this will affect the daily lives of hundreds of thousands of Cubans in the short and medium terms. The needs detailed in the international appeal are far larger than the possibilities of the country and the limited assistance received. Therefore, it underscores,
new and larger donations are required from the international community.

The international appeal for assistance to Cuba was disseminated in Geneva by the United Nations Office of Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance (OCHA) on the basis of the data compiled and analyzed by the UN system in the country.

Note: The full text of this appeal including the Annexes is available in Spanish on-line in Adobe Acrobat (pdf) format.

(Spanish version including Annexes) in pdf * format

* Get the Adobe Acrobat Viewer (free)

Extra printed copies of this appeal are available by writing to:

UN Office for the Coordination
of Humanitarian Affairs
Disaster Response Branch (DRB)
Palais des Nations
8-14 ave de la Paix
Ch-1211 Geneva, Switzerland

Tel.: (41 22) 917 1234
Fax: (41 22) 917 0023
E-Mail: info@dha.unicc.org