The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Guyana and the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the aim of strengthening collaboration in the provision of emergency support for forcibly displaced persons and host communities in Guyana, a UNHCR release announced yesterday.
This agreement, the release explained, represents a pivotal milestone in the joint efforts to enhance humanitarian assistance and ensure the safety and dignity of those in need, and establishes a formal framework and procedures that enhance preparedness and response plans for natural disasters and other risks, including Region One, where many forcibly displaced persons reside. Further, UNHCR and the CDC aim to leverage the strengths of both organisations to deliver effective support to vulnerable communities and their populations, improving the reach of their services. According to the release, UNHCR has donated to the CDC over the years, core relief items such as food hampers, mattresses, hygiene kits, sleeping mats, tarpaulins, solar lamps, office safes, a generator, and outboard engines, boosting the CDC’s capacity to respond effectively to emergencies.
Deputy Director General of the CDC, Lieutenant Colonel Mark Thomas, thanked the UNHCR for its donations, as he acknowledged that the long-standing relationship between both entities has aided many vulnerable communities, especially forcibly displaced people, who have sought relief in Guyana. He also stated that the MoU signed by both agencies will strengthen the bond that allows the operational work of assisting forcibly displaced people and the host communities to significantly continue.
Meanwhile, UNHCR’s Head of Office in Guyana, Adriana Negry, assured that the commission will continue to aid in the protection of vulnerable populations. “Developing contingency plans to respond to disasters is paramount to ensure the protection of displaced persons and host communities. UNHCR is committed to continue working with the CDC to address the urgent protection and humanitarian needs of the most vulnerable populations.”
Images below (left) also show the handing over of relief items to the CDC at its Alternate Emergency Operations Center (AEOC) in Timehri.
