U.S. Embassy in Peru

The United States Ambassador to Peru, Lisa Kenna; the Minister of Defense, General Jorge Chávez Cresta; and the Director of the Peruvian Institute of Civil Defense (INDECI), Brigadier General Carlos Yáñez; participated today in the delivery ceremony of the Regional Emergency Operations Center (REOC) Chachapoyas, in Amazonas, built by the United States Southern Command through its Humanitarian Assistance Program.

The Chachapoyas REOC, worth more than 6.4 million soles (US$1.7 million), includes a Disaster Mitigation Warehouse and a Search and Rescue Polygon, and is part of a long-term project aimed at increasing regional response capacity to emergencies and natural disasters. It also includes the donation of radio systems, hardware and software, as well as communications systems.

This is the seventeenth REOC of its kind built by the United States in as many regions of Peru. In addition, the construction of the REOC in Abancay (Apurimac), is in its final stage and close to inauguration.

“We congratulate the joint work with Peruvian authorities at the national and regional levels. We are pleased to contribute to the efforts of public and private institutions and the community to face the challenges of nature. Today we reaffirm our commitment to respond quickly and in a coordinated manner to natural emergencies.  With the donation of the REOC Chachapoyas, as well as the equipment and training of personnel, we show the commitment and strong relationship between our countries for the efficient prevention and response to emergencies caused by natural disasters, in support of the families and communities of Peru,” said Ambassador Kenna.

The Vice Governor of Amazonas, Leyda Gueiler Rimarachín Cayatopa, also participated in the ceremony.