As part of the EU’s global coronavirus response, an EU Humanitarian Air Bridge operation consisting of two flights to Venezuela has concluded after delivering a total of 82.5 tonnes of life-saving material to supply humanitarian partners in the field.
The EU-funded flights are part of the ongoing Humanitarian Air Bridge operations to critical areas of the world.
“The EU continues to stand by the people in need in Venezuela, especially in the current worldwide health crisis. Tackling the pandemic globally is in the interest of all. The EU Humanitarian Air Bridge flights deliver medical equipment and other essential supplies to protect healthcare and frontline humanitarian aid workers. To ensure aid continues to reach those most in need, it is imperative that humanitarian workers have full and safe access to do their essential job of saving lives,” said Janez Lenarčič, Commissioner for Crisis Management.
In a “Team Europe” effort, the EU Humanitarian Air Bridge to Venezuela has been operated jointly by the EU, Spain, and Portugal and coordinated with the competent Venezuelan authorities. The flights are entirely funded by the EU, whereas the cargo is made available by the humanitarian organisations using the flight, coordinated by the Réseau Logistique Humanitaire – a European humanitarian organisations’ network.
The 82.5 tonnes of cargo consists mostly of life-saving medical equipment such as personal protection gear, medicines, as well as water purification equipment, and family hygiene kits. The equipment will be used in health facilities and some items will also be directly distributed to the most affected families. More than 500.000 Venezuelans will benefit from this aid, including children, women, and health professionals.
Original source: European Commission
