Through this contribution, UNHCR and its partners will be able to carry out empowerment initiatives and provide protection assistance, particularly to women, gender-based-violence survivors, children and youth. The contribution also aims to scale up emergency shelter and reception capacities for new arrivals at border areas between Colombia and Venezuela, and community centres for internally displaced persons.

Venezuela sent gold to Mali in 2020 via Russian-owned planes to exchange for euros and U.S. dollars that President Nicolas Maduro’s government used to remain afloat despite U.S. sanctions, an opposition representative said on Wednesday. Julio Borges, designated by opposition leader Juan Guaido as his chief overseas envoy, told reporters that the gold was refined in Mali and then resold primarily in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to allow for Maduro’s administration to obtain foreign currency cash. By Matt Spetalnick and Luc Cohen. Full Text -> NationalPost