Despite the devastating floods affecting large parts of the Andean country, preparations for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Session —taking place in Lima (Peru) this September— are going ahead as planned, the organization confirmed on Thursday.
The 130th IOC Session is scheduled to kick off in the Peruvian capital on September 13, 2017.
It will see the election of the host city for Olympic Games in 2024 between candidates: Los Angeles (USA) and Paris (France).
Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski said the IOC Session "is relevant for the country," following hard times characterized by natural disasters, such as floods.
"The eyes of the world will be on Lima, and we believe that hosting the IOC Session will send a vital message to the world and to Peru that we are ready to welcome the world after the emergency situation," the Head of State was quoted as saying by the IOC.
"In addition, the event will bring positive international attention to the country as we receive several Heads of State, many high-level government officials and over 2,000 international press members. This is why we have reaffirmed our support to the organization of the IOC Session," Mr. Kuczynski expressed.
He went on to add the meeting "had already been declared of national interest, and we will now issue an Executive Order that creates the framework to implement the declaration and support."
According to IOC President Thomas Bach, "this decision of the IOC Executive Board is also a demonstration of solidarity with Peru and its people following the wish of the Peruvian government."
"On this occasion, the Peruvian government has given us all necessary assurances that the IOC Session will be organized in a great way," he pointed out.
Last week, the IOC —together with Olympic Solidarity and the Pan-American Sports Organization (PASO)— announced a donation of US$600,000 to support immediate flood recovery efforts in Peru.
(END) NDP/MVB