OAS SECRETARY GENERAL PRESENTS DONATIONS TO EL SALVADOR

The Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), César Gaviria, today visited some of the areas hardest hit by the January 13 earthquake in El Salvador and presented donations of emergency relief supplies.

Gaviria was accompanied by John Sanbrailo, Executive Director of the Pan American Development Foundation (PADF), a private, nonprofit organization affiliated with the OAS which runs an emergency disaster relief program. They flew over the Santa Tecla area in a helicopter and later were scheduled to visit the community of Lourdes to present donations collected by the PADF.

"We are coming here on behalf of all the countries of the Americas to show our solidarity with El Salvador and to express our willingness to help in any way that we can," said Gaviria. "The generosity of these private sector donors complements contributions already made by many of the OAS member states and permanent observers."

Gaviria met today with Salvadoran President Francisco Flores to convey the Organization’s support. He met with Foreign Minister María Eugenia Brizuela de Avila on Sunday.

The PADF donations presented during the two-day visit included four "shelter packages" – which include tents, blankets, plastic sheeting, personal hygiene items, water purification tablets, kerosene lanterns and other items – given by Citibank and Texaco, with transportation provided by the Central American airline TACA. Gaviria also presented the Salvadoran government with eight electric generators, which were donated by the same companies and by the Pan American Development Foundation, as well as a cash contribution from the computer company Compaq. The PADF is also shipping a container with medical supplies to El Salvador. The total value of these donations is $180,000.

The OAS had previously announced an emergency cash donation of $20,000. The OAS Unit for Sustainable Development and Environment is also seeking external funding to implement a reconstruction and disaster mitigation program in El Salvador. This would support activites such as a flood alert and vulnerability reduction program in small valleys; hazard mapping in coastal areas; water resource management; and support in the education and transportation sectors.

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