Belgrade, 18 May 2014 - At the request of the Government of Serbia, a first batch of emergency relief items arrived in Belgrade today, to assist survivors of the floods that recently devastated the country.
The shipment from the World Food Programme (WFP), of 60 water tanks, 24 generators, 3 water purification systems and 10 boats, arrived by air from Brindisi and Dubai. The second shipment of WFP non-foof aid will arrive on Monday morning. WFP is also preparing for the dispatch of High Energy Biscuits (HEB) and ready-to-eat food to help the displaced people in the affected areas.
On behalf of WFP, the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Serbia, Ms. Irena Vojácková-Sollorano, handed over the supplies to H.E. Mr. Nebojsa Stefanovic, Minister of the Interior of the Republic of Serbia.
"This is the first batch of relief supplies that the United Nations has dispatched to Serbia. We thank WFP for their quick action in providing the Government of Serbia with the much needed life-saving assistance. The World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) are also active and have taken steps to alleviate the suffering of people affected by the floods and to assist the Government in its efforts to normalise the situation. A team from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) also arrived today, and will work closely with the Sector for Emergency Management of the Ministry of the Interior in conducting needs assessments and launching coordinated emergency assistance appeals," said Ms. Vojácková-Sollorano.