The International Donors’ Conference in Solidarity with Venezuelan Refugees and Migrants ended up with pledges of US$1.5 billion donations to help to address the Venezuelan refugee crisis. As many as 46 countries and international institutions such as the World Bank, and Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) participated in the videoconference hosted by Canada.
The funds raised aim to support Venezuelan refugees, migrants, and host countries and will be channeled through 159 partnering organizations that work to provide Venezuelans with help. The money pledged will cover needs linked to immediate humanitarian assistance, in particular, to finance shelter, food, water, sanitation and hygiene, health, and protection. The donations also aim to support long-term development aid to deliver quality education and help with the integration of Venezuelan migrants and refugees into hosting countries.
“We are at a critical juncture. The COVID-19 pandemic has hit Latin America and the Caribbean with particular ferocity, at a time when they struggle to respond to the world’s second-largest displacement of people outside their country. Of the 5.6 million Venezuelan refugees and migrants, 4.6 million are in the region. The responsibility for protecting and assisting them and the communities that host them cannot lie only with the countries of the region. It must be shared by the wider international community,” said Filippo Grandi, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
Attending the conference, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the U.S. ambassador to the UN, added, “This new funding will provide the Venezuelan people with a wide range of lifesaving and essential assistance. The United States remains steadfast in our support to the Venezuelan people in their struggle for the restoration of democracy and rule of law.”
Nevertheless, Karina Gould, Canadian Minister of International Development, welcomed the financial effort made, noting that “we clearly see that donor countries better understood the range of the crisis”. She added, “I am very pleased with the level of donations announced today, and I am certainly grateful to all donors, including the six new donors as well as those who have increased their contributions over last year.”
Venezuelan refugees and migrants mainly fled to neighboring countries with Colombia receiving the most, about 1.7 million according to the latest assessments of UNHCR, but that number may be higher as many people are still passing through the Venezuelan-Colombian border. The Latin American country that has received the second-highest number is Peru at around 1 million followed by Ecuador which hosts 400,000. All of these countries need support to be able to deliver basic services to Venezuelans.
