The EU-led International Contact Group (ICG) on Venezuela believes that the United Nations should unlock its full potential in helping settle the crisis in Venezuela and coordinating aid deliveries to the conflict-hit country, Marcel de Vink, the director of the Dutch Foreign Ministry's Western Hemisphere Department, told Sputnik in an interview
SAN JOSE (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 07th May, 2019) The EU-led International Contact Group (ICG) on Venezuela believes that the United Nations should unlock its full potential in helping settle the crisis in Venezuela and coordinating aid deliveries to the conflict-hit country, Marcel de Vink, the director of the Dutch Foreign Ministry's Western Hemisphere Department, told Sputnik in an interview.The two-day ICG meeting opened in Costa Rica's capital San Jose on Monday. The meeting comes as the situation in Venezuela remains tense after on April 30, the Venezuelan opposition, led by US-backed Juan Guaido, made another unsuccessful attempt to oust the elected government of President Nicolas Maduro.
"I think the most important thing that the UN system can play its full role, that's not the case right now but I think a little bit of progress has been made, there is more access to humanitarian partners. The people of Venezuela are suffering so we need urgent help to come forward, but for that because it's a very complex crisis with a lot of different elements we need to make sure that the UN system can play its full role," de Vink said.
He added that humanitarian aid was currently being provided through non-governmental organizations, but stressed that it was extremely important to coordinate such efforts at the UN level.
"UN system has different players. We need to make sure there is a coordination system within the UN and we need to make sure that they can play the role that we would like them to play," he clarified.
The issue of humanitarian aid deliveries has been in the international focus after the opposition tried to force US-sponsored aid into Venezuela through its borders with Colombia and Brazil back in February, provoking clashes between Venezuelan military and pro-aid protesters.
Venezuelan authorities ban entry of unauthorized aid, believing that Washington wants to use it to arm opposition and oust the Maduro government from power.
Venezuela, which has long been suffering from an acute economic crisis amid the protracted political turmoil and US sanctions, however, does not reject authorized aid. Russia, for instance, has been sending such aid as part of the World Health Organization (WHO) and Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) programs.
