Cuba appreciates donations from Slovakia and Japan 

Photo: Dunia Álvarez

The World Food Program (WFP), with the collaboration of the Government of Slovakia, made a donation of 40.71 tons of powdered milk, a gesture thanked yesterday in a ceremony held at the Ministry of Food Industry.Etienne Labande, WFP representative in Cuba, explained that this milk has already been delivered to children between 11 months and two years of age in territories that do not have the capacity to distribute fluid milk, and expressed his commitment to continue helping the Cuban people.Javier Aguiar Rodríguez, First Deputy Minister of the Food Industry, in extending his thanks expressed that this is "a valuable gesture of solidarity, which reaffirms the bonds of brotherhood, and the mutual commitment to strengthen economic relations and cooperation between Slovakia and Cuba."He said that this gesture comes to the country at a time of a tense situation, complicated by the intensified economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the U.S. government on the largest of the Antilles.In little more than a month, the country has been hit by several weather events, while it is going through an energy emergency.Faced with this contingency, the World Food Program in Cuba is mobilizing funds to help the island's population, essentially those living in the affected areas, to support the food needs of the communities and prevent the deterioration of food and nutritional security.To date, the WFP has provided assistance to 970,450 people for an amount of US$21 million, of which US$15.3 million went to food and kitchen items, while the rest went to supplies and fuel.Alberto López Díaz, Minister of Food Industry, and Milan Zachar, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Slovak Republic in the country, also participated in the ceremony.  JAPANESE GOVERNMENT TO PROVIDE EMERGENCY AIDThe Government of Japan has decided to deliver to the Republic of Cuba goods for emergency assistance, such as water purifiers, blankets, tents and mattresses for the victims of hurricane Rafael, informed the Japanese Embassy on the island. They stated that these items will arrive to the island on November 25.This aid, which amounts to 25 million yen -$160,000-, is provided through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), in response to the humanitarian needs of the people affected by the natural disaster, and taking into account the close relations of friendship and solidarity, of long history, between the two nations.