Andina

Peru: FA Min announces arrival of UN experts to face oil spill

Photo: ANDINA/Vidal Tarqui

Photo: ANDINA/Vidal Tarqui

10:07 | Lima, Jan. 22.

Foreign Affairs Minister Oscar Maurtua announced that in the next hours a group of experts from the United Nations will arrive in Peru to provide technical assistance so as to deal with the oil spill which occurred in Lima's Ventanilla sea area.

The Cabinet member indicated that the arrival of this group of experts was possible thanks to efforts by the Permanent Mission of Peru in Geneva, Switzerland, through coordination carried out by his portfolio.

"It has been confirmed; the United Nations has informed us (...) that in the next hours a team of international experts will visit our country to provide technical assistance," he told RPP Noticias on Friday night.

The ambassador explained that they are qualified specialists specialized in rapid response on environmental issues, as well as in coordination and handling of incidents such as the one that currently affects Peru.

Likewise, the diplomat specified that they will undertake develop planning and contingency efforts for future similar events.

Furthermore, Minister Maurtua said that the participation, in the coming weeks, of the U.S. National Response Team is assured. It is an entity which brings together more than 15 institutions that provide technical assistance and resources to act in the face of events involving dangerous polluting substances such as oil and other environmental incidents.

Similarly, the International Maritime Organization —to which Peru belongs— was contacted. According to the minister, it will provide basic implements for collecting and cleaning up the oil that affects our coastline.

Moreover, he said the OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) announced that it will provide support to contain the expansion of the polluted tide, as well as clean up the sea and coastline.

The minister also specified that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) committed, through its marine laboratory based in Monaco, to providing the necessary and immediate cooperation in terms of training and equipment to determine the existence of hydrocarbon residues in the soil and marine fauna —once the cleanup phase is over.

Lastly, Maurtua indicated that in the next days he will return to his ministerial office, after recovering from COVID-19, thus highlighting that his rapid recovery was because he had received three vaccines doses.

(END) JCC/MVB

Published: 1/22/2022