{"id":224161,"date":"2020-07-10T14:18:42","date_gmt":"2020-07-10T18:18:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/en\/?p=224161"},"modified":"2020-07-10T14:19:26","modified_gmt":"2020-07-10T18:19:26","slug":"european-union-supports-cuba-in-fight-against-pandemic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/en\/cuba\/european-union-supports-cuba-in-fight-against-pandemic\/","title":{"rendered":"European Union supports Cuba in fight against pandemic"},"content":{"rendered":"

Help us keep OnCuba alive<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

The European Union (EU)<\/a> is carrying out several cooperation projects with Cuba, as part of the regional bloc\u2019s support to other countries in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.<\/p>\n

This support is based on the EU Crisis Declaration on COVID-19<\/a>, which seeks to adapt the ongoing cooperation to respond to the pandemic and its effects, prioritizing the health response, mitigation of social impact and economic reactivation.<\/p>\n

In the specific case of Cuba, the EU Delegation in coordination with the diplomatic representations of the member states of the regional mechanism has articulated a common effort called Team Europe, according to a source from the bloc<\/a>.<\/p>\n

As part of this effort, resources from ongoing cooperation projects have been reoriented, \u201cin order to respond immediately to the pandemic, in collaboration with implementing agencies and entities.\u201d<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/UEenCuba\/posts\/744223979663672<\/p>\n

Following these guidelines, funds were reoriented from the AGROCADENAS (Support Program for the Strengthening of Agricultural and Livestock Chains at the local level) and BASAL (Environmental Bases for Local Food Sustainability) projects for the acquisition of protection and hygiene equipment, for a total amount 260,000 euros. In addition, 1.5 million euros from the SAS-Cuba program (local self-reliance supply for healthy eating) were earmarked for the purchase of emergency supplies for accelerated food production (short cycle).<\/p>\n

These are three initiatives implemented by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) on the island.<\/p>\n

Similarly, the EU notes that other adaptations of ongoing cooperation programs in the areas of energy, drought risks and landslide risks are currently being studied; at the same time, a dialogue was initiated \u201cto explore proposals from civil society organizations that would respond to the pandemic in Cuba, based on a health and mitigation approach to the social impact on vulnerable populations,\u201d especially among the elderly. As a result, two new projects were signed, with a total financing of 2 million euros.<\/p>\n

The first, named \u201cCaring for the elderly in times of COVID-19,\u2033 is the union of the Italian organization WeWorld-GVC and the Cuban Society of Gerontology and Geriatrics, together with the Havana provincial government, and pursues \u201cthe optimization health services,\u201d as a response to the pandemic, \u201caimed at older people who are in vulnerable conditions\u201d in the Cuban capital.<\/p>\n

The second, called \u201cIncreasing prevention and confrontation measures against COVID-19 in Cuba,\u201d brings together the Cuban Hygiene and Epidemiology Association and Bioengineering Association, together with the Spanish NGO MPDL (Peace Movement), and \u201cseeks to reduce the spread of SARS-CoV-2 among the country\u2019s population, fundamentally benefiting workers in the health sector as the group most exposed to contracting the disease.\u201d<\/p>\n

UE dispuesta a tener un \u201crol importante\u201d en el desarrollo de Cuba<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n