The Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) has underscored the importance of the assistance provided by Italy to Cuba in support of the Hurricane Melissa Response Plan, coordinated by the United Nations, according to a statement released today.
A note published on the agency’s official website highlights that Italy confirmed its cooperation with Cuba and the multilateral system through a contribution, channeled via AICS, of 200,000 euros to support the most urgent interventions under the plan, which requires total funding of 74.2 million U.S. dollars.
AICS is an agency of the Italian government, operating under the supervision of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and is responsible for implementing development cooperation as the technical arm for designing, financing, and managing aid projects for countries in need.
The statement notes that Hurricane Melissa, which struck Cuba in late October of this year and is considered one of the three most intense hurricanes ever recorded in the Atlantic region, severely affected the eastern provinces of Santiago de Cuba, Granma, Holguín, and Guantánamo.
According to the document, the storm left more than 1.7 million people with damaged housing, one million facing shortages of essential goods, and more than 117,000 experiencing difficulties in accessing safe drinking water.
Estimates indicate particularly severe levels of destruction, with damaged infrastructure, isolated communities, and compromised water and sanitation systems. In this context, the report emphasizes that Italy confirmed its collaboration with Cuba.
The contribution, it adds, is part of “a bilateral cooperation relationship that has been maintained for more than 10 years in the eastern regions of the country, aimed at strengthening sustainable and local development, food security, and territorial resilience to climate change.”
Through these measures, Italy adds its support to national and international efforts toward a coordinated and effective response to the emergency caused by Hurricane Melissa, the statement says.
In this way, the European nation confirms “the continuity of its partnership with Cuba and the capacity of the Italian cooperation system to adapt its instruments to the needs of partner countries,” the source concludes. (CubaSí)
