Writing.
the Ambassador of Honduras to the United Nations, Floc by Mary Elizabeth Flores (UN), Delivered a speech in which he thanked, on behalf of the Honduran people, the support of the international community to meet the objectives of the Humanitarian Response Plan.
Flake Flowers, since 2010 in office, has stressed that the UN has supported not only Honduras, But also in Guatemala and El Salvador, In meeting the objectives of supporting the population, especially the most vulnerable.
The three Central American countries are going through, in recent years, accentuated migratory crises. In addition, in the case of Honduras, in particular, it added economic and human attacks as a result of the passage of tropical storms Eta and Iota, in November 2020.
Here is the full speech of Honduran diplomacy:
On behalf of the people of Honduras, thank you for all you are doing in this crisis. I feel honored to be with you. To the international community and UN agencies, thank you for the opportunity to raise awareness and gain support for Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador, to meet the objectives of the Humanitarian Response Plan.
This event is built on the basis of the briefing held on April 20, jointly organized by the OCHA (United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) and the United States Mission to the United Nations, highlighting the humanitarian situation in the three neighboring countries. Since then, occasional efforts have been made to present this timely comprehensive program.
Honduras is facing an aggravated humanitarian crisis as a result of natural disasters and human activities that today affect 2.8 million people, a third of the population. Challenges and difficulties faced include floods, migration, climate change and now a pandemic.
The response addresses 12 critical sectors (food and nutrition, security, protection, housing, health and education); aimed at 1.8m people; with 44 operational partners, and 93 projects across the country, urgently addressing the well-being of people who are forced to live in poverty, suffering and despair. The focus is on the immediate need of the most vulnerable, while addressing national medium- and long-term goals, with a comprehensive, multi-sectoral, action-oriented approach.
In dealing with these crises, it is vitally important that we unite and formulate new sustainable strategies for local intervention and international support that make a difference. Today, humanity is endowed with technological capabilities, human capital and accumulated resources, unprecedented, never seen in the history of mankind.
In 2020, during the boom of COVID-19, in the span of two weeks, two hurricanes hit Honduras consecutively, causing deaths and damage. Climate impacts have exacerbated the fragility underlying the country. Currently, three (3) million people still need humanitarian assistance. Schools closed, affecting more than one (1) million girls and boys. A total of 937,000 people were registered as displaced due to the disasters. Vaccination progresses slowly in limited numbers.
The word “discouraging” describes the impact of seeing the Honduran population, over and over again, go through situations and conditions of material hardship, which separate families and communities. These events have led to greater exclusion and dependence. Hondurans have been stoic and resilient, where they continue to prevail during extremely difficult and demanding challenges.
The Humanitarian Response Plan was launched in Honduras on August 9, 2021, in coordination with national and local actors. It requires $ 222 million to meet the goals set, in what constitutes an immediate, action-oriented multisectoral response to meet the critical needs of 1.8 million of the most vulnerable people, creating resilience and strengthening links between humanitarian assistance, response, care and development.
We extend our appreciation to all humanitarian organizations that have maintained their work, in this exceptional trial period, for all the silent actions, which often go unnoticed. We are grateful for all that the international community has done and continues to do, and continues to do. We asked everyone for their full and constant support.
Commitments are not enough. Innocent lives are at stake. What will make the difference is to ensure that funding goals are met, ensuring that aid reaches those most in need, ensuring that people can recover, rebuild, generating livelihoods for themselves and their families.
Honduras is facing a multidimensional crisis, which has pushed back on the development goals achieved. Climate change, migration, food shortages, nutritional insecurity, and gender inequality only add to the multi-generational pattern of living in poverty.
The Humanitarian Response Plan is an action-oriented, human-centered approach. This is an opportunity to integrate this short-term plan into the sustainable development of Honduras, where all sectors of the international community can unite and partner with Hondurans.
Humanitarian plans offer an opportunity to forge public-private partnerships, governments, NGOs as well as those individuals and segments of society, who are committed to impacting and contributing to the most vulnerable sectors, prone to being hard hit by recurring natural events and risks.
I extend an invitation to them to spread the word: each of you makes a difference: share with your friends, family, colleagues, organizations about this event, create a website, a social media page, share pictures, dating, articles, reports and what they have learned. Sharing and creating awareness protects and saves lives. I call on them to align, support and empower Hondurans, vulnerable communities, the most affected and those in the most remote areas with difficult access, particularly women, children, the elderly and the disabled.
Recently, we have seen that many populations around the world have been affected by storms, hurricanes, floods, earthquakes and climate change. In this shared approach today, where the international community and partners come together, there is an openness to have a profound impact, through humanitarian actions, leveraging lessons learned, creating preparedness and resilience, to prevent future disasters. Also, to strengthen awareness and compliance with international humanitarian law.
Once again, it is an honor to be here with you so that together we can take action. Only action makes a difference; so that people facing adversity, have an opportunity for recovery, with their support and solidarity.