New Initiative for greater drought resilience introduced

The National Institute of Hydraulic Resources (INRH) has approved the Initiative for the Strengthening of Hydrological Monitoring in Cuba, which will systematically assess the availability of water in the country and create conditions to combat the effects of Climate Change.

Bladimir Matos Moya, first vice president of the INRH, stated that the Initiative constitutes a platform for action since the consequences of Climate Change make it necessary to turn Cuba into a more resilient country.

There is a government will put into practice through the State plan Tarea Vida (Task Life), said the official at a press conference.

In its position as a blockaded country with financial limitations, Cuba has set itself the challenge of committing to real-time information and characterization of the country by regions so that the solutions are specific and appropriate for each place.

With financial support from the Russian Federation and implemented by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the Initiative is part of the actions of the project Adapting to drought: Sustainable water management in the face of drought in Santiago de Cuba(eastern region), for greater resilience and adaptation to climate change.

 Anna V. Kosenkova, a minister counselor at the embassy of the Russian Federation to Cuba, commented, through video conference, that the exchange in this field is a key point in the fight against drought; Russia has extensive experience in water management, so it is expected that with the support of its experts, the Caribbean nation will show improvements.

At the same time, Ivan Zverzhanovski, UNDP deputy resident representative to Cuba, indicated that access to and efficient water use is essential for any development program, so strategic activities such as this one contribute to increasing the country's resilience.