The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS)
In solidarity with Saint Vincent after devastating volcanic eruptions
UNOPS is standing-by to support the response and recovery efforts following the disaster that erupted on the Caribbean island nation this month.
Following decades of dormancy, the La Soufrière volcano erupted on Saint Vincent and the Grenadines’ largest island. Tens of thousands of people need immediate evacuation. Thousands more have had their lives and livelihoods thrown into upheaval. The event has triggered emergency response and recovery efforts amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
- Photo: UN/Navin Pato Patterson
UNOPS Director of Implementation Practices and Standards, Nick O’Regan, said the organization is ready to support its partners in these difficult times – from helping respond to the crisis, to building back for a better, more resilient future for all.
UNOPS stands in solidarity with the people and the government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, in the wake of the eruptions of the La Soufrière volcano.
“People’s lives and livelihoods have been put at risk, and the extent of the damage to the island’s infrastructure requires massive and urgent response and recovery efforts. All of this is further complicated by the fact that this tragedy has struck while our world still battles the COVID-19 pandemic, and ahead of a hurricane season.”
“The devastation caused by the eruptions is yet another reminder of the urgent need to create resilient and sustainable infrastructure, so that people are protected from these hazards, and so they can survive and thrive.”
“To do this, we need to plan and develop infrastructure that can withstand shocks: from natural hazards such as volcanic eruptions, to global pandemics.”
