The Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of International Development and La Francophonie, today issued the following statement concerning Hurricane Irma:
“Hurricane Irma, the strongest hurricane ever seen in the Atlantic with sustained wind speeds reaching 300 kilometres per hour, has been wreaking havoc in the Caribbean since September 6.
“The Government of Canada is concerned by the devastation caused by Hurricane Irma and expresses its condolences to all the people that have been affected.
“Canada will contribute $100,000 to the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency to provide logistical support for relief supplies and assessment teams, emergency power, and relief supplies (including building materials, as needed).
“Through its strategic partnership with the Canadian Red Cross, Global Affairs Canada is also supporting efforts of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement in the region. Global Affairs Canada has released $60,000 from its Emergency Disaster Assistance Fund to support International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies emergency preparedness operations in Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
“Global Affairs Canada is helping people in the Caribbean affected by the disaster. We are supporting the deployment of an expert to the UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination team for emergency assessment, information management and coordination of incoming international relief.
“We work with a number of humanitarian partners present in the Caribbean, including partners like the World Food Programme, that have prepositioned stocks of supplies in the northern part of Haiti in anticipation of Hurricane Irma. These efforts are supported by Canada’s significant contribution to the Programme’s Immediate Response Account.
“Global Affairs Canada remains in close contact with all its partners in the Caribbean and will continue to respond as needed and appropriate.”
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