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Spain announced this Monday the shipment of 36 tons of humanitarian aid to Cuba, in response to the devastation caused by the hurricane Melissa, which left a catastrophic toll in the eastern provinces of the country.
The Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) confirmed on the social media platform X that the shipment includes essential materials and a fund of 500,000 euros aimed at providing shelter, health services, and access to potable water for about 100,000 people affected, according to the agency EFE.
Urgent assistance needed in response to a humanitarian crisis in eastern Cuba
After the passage of Hurricane Melissa, hundreds of thousands of Cubans are left without housing, electricity, or basic food supplies. In light of the magnitude of the disaster, Spain has activated its immediate humanitarian response, in response to the call from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
The air shipment was organized from the AECID hangar in Torrejón de Ardoz to Havana and includes:
2,184 family kitchen kits, which will benefit approximately 11,000 people.
1,600 tool kits for home repairs, which will assist approximately 8,000 people.
253 pairs of boots for cleaning and rescue work.
The material has a total value of 144,000 euros and is part of an operation aimed at addressing the most urgent needs in Santiago de Cuba, Holguín, Granma, Guantánamo, and Las Tunas—the provinces hardest hit by the cyclone.
International cooperation and coordination with NGOs
AECID also reported that it is studying the activation of emergency agreements with various Spanish NGOs present in Cuba, aiming to ensure a rapid and transparent distribution of aid, thereby avoiding the usual delays and state centralization.
Spain also recalled that it is a key donor of the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), which has allocated 8 million dollars for humanitarian operations in Haiti and Cuba, the two nations most affected by the passage of Melissa.
Solidarity in the Face of Devastation
The organization emphasized that its response is part of a joint effort of international solidarity in the face of the natural disaster that has left entire towns flooded, thousands displaced, and severe damage to the basic infrastructure of eastern Cuba.
"Spain is committed to humanitarian aid and to the people who need it most in times of crisis. Our goal is to save lives and support recovery," stated AECID in its official communiqué.
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