OAS Hosts Meeting of Inter-American Committee on Natural Disaster Reduction to Articulate Hemispheric Coordination in Support of Reconstruction in Venezuela

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OAS Hosts Meeting of Inter-American Committee on Natural Disaster Reduction to Articulate Hemispheric Coordination in Support of Reconstruction in Venezuela

The Inter-American Committee on Natural Disaster Reduction (IACNDR) met today at the headquarters of the Organization of American States (OAS) to support the Americas in coordinating the deployment of efforts by the international community and the Inter-American System focused on the reconstruction of Venezuela following the earthquake on June 24.

During the meeting, representatives of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), White Helmets, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF), the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), and the Humanitarian and Disaster Response Office of the U.S. Department of State, among other institutions, addressed the actions taken to assist those affected and the next steps to follow in Venezuela. They also discussed the need to coordinate reconstruction efforts, address short-, medium-, and long-term needs, and implement risk reduction and mitigation strategies in the country and the region at large.

At the opening of the meeting, OAS Secretary General Albert R. Ramdin, in his capacity as Chair of the IACNDR, reiterated the solidarity of the OAS and the Inter-American System with Venezuela, stating that "we must act as one, strengthening coordination, resilience, and preparedness to support our member states before, during, and after disasters like this one." He added, "The OAS maintains its firm commitment to strengthening cooperation and coordination throughout the hemisphere so that our institutions can respond more effectively to emergencies, reduce disaster risk, and contribute to building safer, more resilient, and sustainable societies in the Americas. Together, our collective action is much more powerful than the sum of our individual efforts."

During the Committee meeting, the fundamental value of cooperation and synergy among the institutions that make up the Inter-American System to provide comprehensive responses to such emergencies was underscored. Furthermore, OAS member states and Permanent Observers reiterated their solidarity with the Venezuelan people, reaffirming their joint readiness to accompany the country throughout the recovery process.

Reference: FNE-144934