The agreement was signed during Grand Master Fra’ Matthew Festing’s official visit

During the official visit of the Order of Malta’s Grand Master, Fra’ Matthew Festing, a memorandum of understanding was signed with the Chilean government for an international humanitarian network to coordinate activities during natural disasters.

The agreement defines the coordination between the Order, the Chilean Foreign Ministry and National Office for Emergencies (Onemi). “This institution is granted the necessary facilities for immediate response should our country be struck by an emergency situation or a disaster,” as the Chilean Foreign Ministry’s communiqué states. The need for this coordination was highlighted by the UN Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction in Chile after the quake of 27 February 2010.

The Grand Master Fra’ Matthew Festing, received on Tuesday by President Sebastián Piñera, commended the agreement, under which the Order of Malta will keep faith with “its almost millenary mission to alleviate human suffering”.

The Chilean Head of State took this opportunity to pay homage to the Order of Malta’s work in Chile, “an example of dedication and commitment to others. Its contribution and that of the Auxilio Maltés foundation provides an important service for the rehabilitation of patients, especially those with chronic respiratory disorders and in particular oxygen-dependent children”.