Minister Sjoerd Sjoerdsma: Netherlands to send rescue team to Venezuela

The Netherlands is sending a rescue team to Venezuela to assist in the aftermath of the devastating earthquakes that have struck the country. Minister of Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Sjoerd Sjoerdsma has earmarked around two million euros for the deployment of an Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) team consisting of rescue workers, dogs and equipment.

"Our thoughts are with the victims, their loved ones and everyone affected by this disaster. The situation is urgent. Due to the scale of the emergency and the direct proximity of Venezuela as a neighbour of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, we immediately offered to deploy the USAR team", Mr Sjoerdsma said.

The Netherlands contributes financial assistance to help ensure a rapid international response in the event of disasters. It does this by providing non-earmarked funding to humanitarian organisations which they can use immediately and flexibly in their emergency response.

The minister is continuing to monitor the situation closely and will assess ongoing developments to determine whether additional assistance is needed.