The Ambassador of Japan to Cuba, Nakamura Kazuhito, highlighted today his country's solidarity commitment with a one-million-dollar donation for water, sanitation, and maternal-child health in the eastern part of the island.

During the signing ceremony of the agreement, held in Havana, the Japanese diplomat emphasized that this initiative, channeled through the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), constitutes the second collaboration between Tokyo and the UN agency for the benefit of Cuba. The first took place during the Covid-19 pandemic, providing essential contributions to preserve the cold chain of the National Immunization Program of the Ministry of Public Health.

"We trust that this new project will contribute to improving services and infrastructure related to access to water and maternal-child health in vulnerable communities in the provinces of Granma, Santiago de Cuba, and Guantánamo," stated the ambassador, while recalling the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa and other extreme weather events that have impacted the region in recent years.

For her part, the Deputy Representative of UNICEF in Cuba, Sunny Guidotti, described the initiative as "an investment in rights": the right of girls, boys, and adolescents to grow up healthy, study in safe schools, and receive quality care, even in emergency contexts.

"Cuba is increasingly facing the impact of climate change, with annual losses equivalent to 4.6% of GDP. Just in the last two years, Granma, Santiago de Cuba, and Guantánamo have suffered hurricanes, floods, droughts, and earthquakes with a direct impact on essential services for children," Guidotti noted.

The project, which will last 24 months, will prioritize schools and health centers exposed to multiple risks, directly benefiting girls, boys, adolescents, and pregnant women in communities in eastern Cuba.