Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Canada does not have a bilateral aid program with Venezuela. The Government of Venezuela is presently not working with any UN agencies on an appeal for aid, and to date, has refused to accept international assistance. We have urged the Venezuelan government to engage with multilateral institutions such as the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and other organizations to reform their economic policies in an effort to alleviate shortages of food and medicine caused by price controls and shortages of hard currency.
Where Canada is actively working in the world, as has been mentioned by colleagues elsewhere, is through our Canada fund for local initiatives, where we work with local NGOs through our Canadian embassies to make their voices heard and to press these issues with their governments and civil society stakeholders.