UN supports hurricane-hit countries
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Secretary-General briefing the General Assembly
The United Nations is supporting the Caribbean countries that have been affected by Hurricane Sandy, says UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
Mr. Ban briefed the General Assembly on the impact of the hurricane which also disrupted the work of the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
He said that five million people were affected in the Caribbean and 74 died, 60 in Haiti alone.
In Cuba, he added, 20 per cent of the population was affected.
The Secretary-General told delegates that the United Nations responded after hundreds of thousands of people were hit by floods and heavy winds.
"Immediately after the storm, we allocated money from the Central Emergency Response Fund — $5 million to Cuba and $4 million for Haiti. Jamaica will receive an emergency grant for health and food security support. The United Nations is working closely with national authorities, donors and emergency organizations to ensure the strongest possible support for national efforts to see to their needs today and to strengthen disaster risk reduction for the future." (Duration: 29")
Mr. Ban and the UN staff have launched a donation drive to show solidarity with what he describes as the "the UN's great and generous host country and city" – the United States and New York City.
