Finland Provides Emergency Shelter Assistance to Venezuela After Earthquakes
Finland is contributing emergency shelter assistance to Venezuela following two devastating earthquakes on 24 June. The support is being delivered through the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism, as confirmed by the Ministry of the Interior in a press release on Monday (Daily Finland).
Venezuela has requested international aid, including rescue and medical services, as well as essential supplies such as emergency shelters. In response, the European Commission’s Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC) issued a call to EU member states on 25 June to provide civil protection assistance (Finnish Ministry of the Interior).
Finland’s contribution consists of an emergency shelter package, which includes tents, blankets, and other necessary supplies. The assistance is expected to provide shelter for approximately 1,000 people (Daily Finland; Finnish Ministry of the Interior). The Ministry of the Interior coordinates Finland’s civilian material aid through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism.
The Civil Protection Mechanism serves as a key tool for international disaster response, covering natural and human-induced emergencies, including major accidents, chemical incidents, and the aftermath of terrorist acts. Countries may request assistance through the mechanism if the scale of a disaster exceeds their national response capacity. Aid provided under the mechanism is sourced from participating countries’ national resources (Finnish Ministry of the Interior).