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Kuwait aids Pacific countries stricken with powerful cyclone

NEW YORK, May 30 (KUNA) -- The State of Kuwait has granted USD 900,000 to four Pacific island countries in response to a UN appeal to help these countries, stricken with the devastating cyclone Pam in March.
The Kuwaiti financial aid was given in response to the humanitarian appeal, made by the United Nations, to help in alleviating these peoples' hardships as a result of cyclone Pam that ravaged these countries, inflicting heavy casualties and losses, said Ambassador Mansour Ayyad Al-Otaibi, Kuwait's Permanent Delegate to the UN, in remarks to KUNA.
Cyclone Pam had flattened thousands of houses, devastated various properties and left dozens of people dead in Vanuatu, Tuvalu, Solomon Islands and Kiribati.
These small island countries are largely vulnerable to such natural catastrophes due to poor infrastructure, technological means and limited financial resources.
Ambassador Al-Otaibi handed over the Kuwaiti allocations in separate meetings with ambassadors of these countries, noting that the aid was in line with the State of Kuwait's policy to aid peoples worldwide purely on humanitarian basis.
The diplomats expressed appreciation for the tangible Kuwaiti gesture and expressed hope to establish sustainable coordination with the Gulf country at various levels. (end) mao.rk