On October 19, 2021, the U.S. government delivered search and rescue equipment worth $2 million to the Peruvian Air Force (FAP, in Spanish), the FAP reported.
“These types of actions strengthen not only bilateral relations, but also the tasks they take on as an air force, strengthening their capabilities to provide assistance during emergencies. Brigade members will be able to work with front-line teams in rescue operations,” Lieutenant General Rubén Gambarini, FAP Operations commander, said.
During the handover ceremony, U.S. Air Force Colonel Joel Bolina, air attaché, praised the Peruvian Air Force’s work in remote areas of the country, as well as its help during emergencies and natural disasters, the FAP added.
The donation included tents, ultralight rescue stretchers, GPS life jackets, mountain climbers, first aid kits, and cutting tools for collapsed structures, among other pieces of equipment.
The equipment is part of a third handover and will go to special forces nationwide for the FAP’s emergency work and strategic operations, the statement said.
The FAP conducts some 50 rescue operations each year, the U.S. Embassy said on its website.
Peru is highly susceptible to floods, landslides, and soil erosion due to its rugged topography and high rainfall variability, the U.S.-based nongovernmental organization Forest Trends said on its website.
U.S. cooperation
The United States is one of Peru’s main partners, serving as the top source of non-reimbursable cooperation, the Peruvian news agency ANDINA published on October 3. It is also the second largest trading partner, the top destination for non-traditional exports, and the top migratory destination for Peruvians, the news portal added.
Since 2006, U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), through its Humanitarian Assistance Program, has donated more than $50.9 million for 313 projects in Peru, including the construction of 18 Regional Emergency Operations Centers, the U.S. Department of State said on its website.
The U.S. Department of State added that, at the Peruvian government’s request, the U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. Agency for International Development provided more than $100 million to support humanitarian assistance efforts in Peru, in response to the influx of Venezuelan refugees and migrants.