According to the WFP representative in the Caribbean nation, Paolo Mattei, the financing will allow the purchase of 50 metric tons of beans and oil for food, destined to reinforce the 2300 people’s diet that are assisted in hospitals in Havana and Matanzas.

WFP restated their commitment to continue working with its partners to support the response of local authorities in favor of food security for the most vulnerable people, Mattei told the press.

He would also like to thank Italy for this new contribution which adds to the actions carried out by the humanitarian agency as part of the United Nations plan to contribute to the country’s economic recovery.

For his part, the Italian Ambassador to Cuba, Roberto Vellano, expressed his satisfaction and that of his government for adding this commitment to the ongoing efforts of the international community to alleviate the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak in Cuba.

“Italy does not forget and reaffirms its gratitude to Cuba for the assistance provided by the medical brigades in stopping the pandemic last year, in the cities of Turin and Crema”, he stressed.

That was the first time that our country would provide help to a developed country, although Cuban sanitary help has been present in Latin America, the Caribbean and countries of the so-called third world, which is a usual practice of Cuban solidarity.

For Vellano, his government’s contribution is another proof of the good bilateral relations of cooperation with Cuba, in an extremely complex moment, while adding to other solidarity initiatives on the part of associations, private companies and organizations of the Italian civil society.

Consuelo Vidal Cruz, resident coordinator of the United Nations System on the island, and Idalmi Bonachea, an official of the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Foreign Investment, were also present at the event to announce the contribution.

The WFP began its activities in Cuba in 1963 with the assistance offered to people who were affected by Hurricane Flora.

According to the program, so far 23 emergency operations and 10 development projects have been carried out with more than 320 million dollars mobilized.

Taken from: Cubadebate