BEIRUT: A chartered plane carrying aid from Latin American organizations arrived Monday at the Rafik Hariri International Airport from Venezuela to help Lebanon’s sizable Syrian refugee population.
The Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our Americas (ALBA) is an international cooperative organization with Latin American and Caribbean countries under its umbrella.
The plane carried 7 tons of food and medical aid, in addition to blankets. It was received by Venezuelan Ambassador to Lebanon Souad Karam, Cuban Ambassador Rene Ceballo Prats and Ecuador’s Honorary Consul Karam Doumit.
“This initiative is a gesture and a sign of solidarity from the people of Latin America, notably the ALBA nations, to their Syrian brethren,” Doumit said after the plane arrived.
“The aid reflects our deep commitment to keeping the peace in the region and in the world.”
Founded by Cuba and Venezuela in 2004, ALBA is associated with socialist and social democratic governments wishing to consolidate regional economic integration. It has ideals of social welfare, bartering and mutual economic aid at its base.
The nine member countries included in ALBA are Antigua and Barbuda, Bolivia, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Saint Vincent, Venezuela and Saint Lucia.
The aid is set to be distributed among the refugees under the supervision of ALBA country ambassadors in Lebanon.
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17/09/2013
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