Related videos:
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) issued an urgent call to businesses and local stakeholders in Cuba to support recovery efforts following Hurricane Melissa.
The UNDP published this Wednesday on its official Facebook account a call directed at local economic actors who have emergency supplies available for immediate delivery, in order to support the humanitarian response to the damage caused by Hurricane Melissa in eastern Cuba.
“Can you provide support for the response to the hurricane's impacts with emergency supplies immediately?” begins the message from the organization, which added that it is already working with Cuban authorities to organize recovery efforts while the cyclone is still passing through the island.
The UNDP specified that the aim of the call is to identify local companies and suppliers capable of providing useful resources or services during the response phase, as part of a humanitarian action where every second counts.
The organization clarified that registration in the form does not imply automatic acceptance as a supplier, but recommended that interested entities formally register in the bidding section of the PNUD website in Cuba to participate in future processes.
The post was made shortly after the first reports of damages to infrastructure and communities in eastern Cuba began to emerge, following Hurricane Melissa, which caused severe impacts in Santiago de Cuba, Granma, Holguín, and Guantánamo.
The call from the UNDP comes at a critical moment for eastern Cuba, where wide areas woke up without electricity and with severe damage to essential infrastructure following the passage of Hurricane Melissa.
The provinces of Santiago de Cuba, Guantánamo, Holguín, and Granma are experiencing widespread interruptions in electricity, telecommunications, and transportation, which have paralyzed essential services in entire communities.
ETECSA's telecommunications network has collapsed in several areas, hindering communication even among authorities and emergency response teams.
The isolation has forced the acceleration of coordinated initiatives between the government and international organizations to channel technical and humanitarian assistance in record time.
In Santiago de Cuba, Governor Beatriz Johnson described the situation as “very difficult”, highlighting that not all affected areas have been reached yet.
The extent of the damage has exceeded local capacities, as the country begins to organize a response that will require the concerted effort of multiple sectors.
In this context, the leader Miguel Díaz-Canel acknowledged the seriousness of the damage and urged not to underestimate the emergency.
The collaboration among state actors, businesses, civil society, and international organizations such as the UNDP is crucial for mobilizing supplies, logistical resources, and technical assistance to address the immediate aftermath of the disaster.
Filed under: