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RIA Novosti
The signing ceremony of agreements on allocation of Russia by the UN of $1.5 million for the provision of assistance to Cuba in the aftermath of the hurricane “Matthew”, which hit the Caribbean in October last year, took place on Thursday in the Russian Embassy in Havana.
One million dollars will be transferred to the budget of the United Nations development Programme (UNDP), $500 thousand to the budget of the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
Signatures under the document was signed by Russian Ambassador to Cuba Mikhail Kamynin, representatives of UNDP and UNICEF in Cuba, Mirta Kaulard and Maria Teran Machicado. The ceremony was attended by representatives of the Ministry of foreign Affairs and the Ministry of foreign trade and foreign investment of Cuba.
Funds allocated from the Federal budget of the Russian Federation on financing of expenses related to the repair and rebuild housing and infrastructure in the Eastern Cuban province of Guantanamo, the most affected in the hurricane. In addition, measures will be taken to ensure the water supply and the restoration of normal sanitary and hygienic conditions in houses and social facilities.
The representatives of UNDP and UNICEF expressed his gratitude to Russia for this contribution, noting that it will help to restore about 2 thousand houses in Guantanamo.
Russia comes to the aid of Cuba is not the first time
In conversation with the correspondent of TASS, Russian Ambassador in Cuba Mikhail Kamynin said that Russia is not the first time helps Havana, after the devastating natural disasters. “After the hurricane “Gustav” in 2008 we on a bilateral basis had a quite significant assistance to: aircraft of MES delivered to the island much-needed building materials, roofing iron and tents. The same thing happened after hurricane sandy, from which Cuba suffered in 2012,” – said the diplomat.
According to him, Russia is actively supporting Cuba and through country programmes of the United Nations. After “sandy” Russia, as now, was listed $1 million to UNDP to Fund programs to restore the housing stock of the province of Santiago de Cuba and $500 million – to UNICEF to organize events to provide residents with water.
Kamynin said that the experience gained in Santiago de Cuba, will now be used to assist in guantánamo province. “Experts from Santiago de Cuba had moved to the neighbouring province of Guantanamo to create a reference point for the more rapid use of these donor funds in order to restore normal life of the population”, – said the Russian Ambassador.
Hurricane “Matthew”, which became the most powerful in the Atlantic since 2007, fell to Cuba, Haiti and South-Eastern United States at the beginning of October last year.
“Matthew” has led to significant destruction in Eastern Cuba, the hardest hit city of Baracoa. The hurricane has caused great damage to agriculture and infrastructure of the island.
The damage from “Matthew” in Cuba amounted to about $2.5 billion Destroyed about 39 thousand houses, but thanks to the efforts of the authorities managed to avoid casualties. In particular, the eve of the hurricane was evacuated by almost 180 thousand people.
On Haiti as a result of the passage of the “Matthew” killed over 800 people in the United States – 47.