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Commission releases a further €20
million in humanitarian aid to support tsunami victims
The European Commission has
adopted a new humanitarian aid decision for €20 million
to provide continuing support to victims of the Indian
Ocean tsunami. This funding comes on top of €103 million
already allocated in four previous decisions, most of
which has already been spent (see table below). The
Commission is thus fulfilling the pledge made by
Commission President Barroso at the Jakarta conference
in January 2005 to provide €123 million for humanitarian
programmes in the tsunami-affected areas.
The support is being channelled
through the Commission’s Humanitarian Aid department
(ECHO) which comes under the responsibility of Louis
Michel, the Commissioner for Development and
Humanitarian Aid.
Commenting on the decision, Mr Michel said: “Almost a
year after the tsunami, it is widely recognised that the
relief effort succeeded in meeting immediate needs for
food, shelter, healthcare, clean drinking water and
sanitation. However, the transition from relief to
reconstruction is a longer-term process, and it is clear
that humanitarian aid is still essential to ease and
prevent suffering, notably for people living in
transitional camps.”
The objective of the latest funding is to meet ongoing
humanitarian needs during the transition from emergency
to recovery in the three worst-affected countries;
Indonesia, Sri Lanka and India. To avoid discrimination
in aid distribution, support will also be provided to
vulnerable local populations – including people affected
by conflict - in areas of Sri Lanka and Indonesia.
The funds will be used mainly to provide integrated
assistance, including health care, water and sanitation,
shelter and livelihood recovery. The aid will go to more
than 1.5 million displaced people as well as vulnerable
local communities.
The Commission’s humanitarian
response to the tsunami crisis: How the money has been
spent so far
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Decision
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Committed |
Contracted with partners |
Primary emergency decision
26 December 2004 (3 months) |
€3m |
€3m |
Emergency decisions,
30,31 December 2004 (6 months) |
€20m |
€20m |
Ad hoc decision,
9 February 2005 (12-18 months) |
€80m |
€77.667m |
Ad hoc decision,
16 December 2005 (12-18 months) |
€20m |
|
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Total |
€123m |
€ 100.667 m |
More details:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/echo/whatsnew/tsunami_en.htm
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