(Communicated by the MFA Spokesperson)
 
On 20 October 2015, Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent humanitarian aid to the Republic of Vanuatu in the Pacific Ocean. The food, a porridge in powder form which is enriched with all the nutrients required for a healthy and balanced diet, is intended to supply the nutritional needs of 2,000 of the island's inhabitants for a period of one month. It was sent through MASHAV (Israel's Agency for International Development Cooperation in the Foreign Ministry) and will be distributed by IsraAID (The Israel Forum for International Humanitarian Aid).
 
This shipment will also help supply food to the population following the disaster caused by a tropical cyclone last March which destroyed 90% of the structures in Efate (the main island of the Republic of Vanuatu) and decimated 70% of the country's crops. Israel volunteered to aid the small and friendly country, as part of the international effort, as soon as the disaster became known. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sent a letter to his colleague in Vanuatu a few days after the cyclone, expressing his regret for the loss of life and sympathy for the people of Vanuatu, He also declared the willingness of the Israeli government to assist efforts to rebuild the country.
 
The citizens of Israel also enlisted in this effort and a delegation of IsraAID arrived in Vanuatu ten days after the disaster in order to assist the local population, in particular because of the good relations between the countries. IsraAID representatives have remained since then to help in the renovation of village water systems and in the establishment of a community medical and mental health system.
 
The countries of the Pacific Ocean are preparing for the "El Niño" phenomenon which leads to decreased rainfall and drought, followed by food and drinking water shortages. This phenomenon is expected to peak in December and to be one of the strongest ever recorded. Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs is participating in the preparations for this natural disaster by providing food aid.


Representative of IsraAID delivers assistance to Vanuatu

At the delivery ceremony, the representative of the government of Vanuatu, Director General of its Ministry of Climate Change Mr. Jotham Napat, commended the support provided to Vanuatu by Israel and expressed his esteem for the significant aid. In an emotional expression of gratitude, he noted Vanuatu's support for Israel, by whose side the republic will always stand.