Statement by Minister-Counselor Cameron Hume, United States Alternate Representative on the Security Council, on Special Economic Assistance to El Salvador, in the General Assembly, January 26, 2001

Mr. President,

On behalf of the citizens of the United States, I would like to express our deepest sympathy for the enormous losses suffered by the people of El Salvador as a result of the January 13 earthquake. Today’s devastating earthquake in India reminds us that no country in the world is immune from such disasters. They underline our common humanity and unite us in efforts to cope with the destruction they leave behind.

The United States assisted in the disaster response effort in El Salvador. We have deployed members of our Miami Dade Fire Department to help develop site plans for search and rescue and to assist with safety measures, and we have provided a total of $5.7 million in humanitarian assistance and supplies. We realize, however, that no amount of aid can erase the pain and anguish felt by the El Salvadoran people. We will continue to assist El Salvador and hope other members of the United Nations will do the same.

My government commends the European Space Agency, the Global Disaster Information Network and OCHA’s ReliefWeb for their invaluable work in sharing important operational information. These efforts save lives because they provide information vital to those who deliver blankets, food and medical supplies. We urge adherence to the spirit of the Tampere Convention on the Provision of Emergency Telecommunications; without telecommunications, relief workers cannot get the information they need. We look forward to discussing these topics and how to build an effective international disaster strategy at the Summit of the Americas in April in Canada.

Mr. President,

During the fall session of this General Assembly, we passed Resolution 163, which recognized the terrible impact that natural disasters have on our global community. This resolution stressed the importance of working to prepare for and recover from such events and recommended specific actions in the areas of disaster mitigation, sustainable development, response and preparedness. The recent disaster in El Salvador demonstrates the urgent need to recommit ourselves to these goals, and to the spirit of international cooperation in all phases of our work.