E10/2016
Conveys condolences to Ecuadoran President Correa
Vienna, Austria, April 20, 2016. As a gesture of sympathy and solidarity to its Member Country Ecuador, OFID has approved a US$400,000 emergency grant to help procure essential relief supplies and support emergency operations conducted by the Ecuadorian Red Cross in the wake of a devastating earthquake that recently struck the country. The grant will be channeled through the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
The magnitude 7.8 quake is the worst Ecuador has seen in decades, and according to the latest reports, over 500 people have lost their lives and over 2,500 are injured, with numbers expected to rise as recovery efforts are still underway. The hardest-hit areas were the cities of Manta, Portoviejo and Pedernales, with other provinces presently under states of emergency.
The IFRC has launched an Emergency Appeal to support the humanitarian operations of the Ecuadorian Red Cross. In response, the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement, UN agencies, governmental and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have been working together and also in coordination with local authorities to bring relief to affected areas.
OFID, in cooperation with the Ecuadorian Embassy in Vienna, also plans on hosting a benefit concert on May 11 to help raise funds for the earthquake victims.
In a letter to Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa, OFID Director-General Suleiman J Al-Herbish expressed his deep sorrow over the disaster.
“We share, with genuine feeling, the pain afflicting families who have suffered the loss of loved ones and with those who have lost their property in these tragic circumstances.
Please accept, Excellency, this message as sincere testimony of our solidarity with you, with the Government and the people of Ecuador. I beg you to convey to the families of the victims our heartfelt condolences.”
Ecuador was re-admitted as an OFID Member country in June 2014 after a break of almost 21 years. The Latin American country suspended its membership in December 1992; its rejoining restored the number of OFID Member Countries to 13.
The OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) • P.O. Box 995 • A-1011 Vienna, Austria Telephone: +43-1-515 64-0 • Fax: +43-1-513 9238 • Email: info@ofid.org • www.ofid.org