The Diplomat
Spain, through the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), will contribute 250,000 euros to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) appeal for aid to address the humanitarian crisis caused by the 7.2 magnitude earthquake in southwest Haitiof on the 14th.
In addition, in response to the Haitian government’s request, 10 tonnes of medical material is expected to be sent by the end of the week, according to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
AECID will also provide a direct response in the area of water and sanitation to support the handling of water purification equipment previously provided by Spanish Cooperation to the Haitian National Water and Sanitation Agency (DINEPA), with which it maintains cooperation projects. This action aims to provide the most vulnerable population with access to drinking water and sanitation and thus prevent the spread of diseases such as cholera, which could aggravate the situation of the population.
The quake has already claimed more than 1,419 lives and injured more than 6,900 people, and the numbers are expected to continue to rise as rescue efforts continue. In addition, an estimated 25,000 people need to be provided for in terms of shelter; some 10,000 of them require medical attention.
From the outset of the emergency, AECID’s Humanitarian Action Office has been in contact with the Spanish Embassy in Haiti, as well as with AECID’s Technical Cooperation Office in the country, where it has been operating since 1989, to assess the situation and possible actions to help alleviate the emergency situation suffered by the Haitian population.
Haiti is considered a Partnership Country in the Spanish Cooperation Master Plan, including it in the group of priority countries for Spanish Cooperation. The priority sectors of concentration for Spanish Development Cooperation in Haiti are Water and Sanitation and Education. In addition to these, other important sectors of intervention have been established which have a large volume of Spanish cooperation funds: Economic Growth for Poverty Reduction, Rural Development and Fight against Hunger, Environment, Democratic Governance and Culture and Development.
