Europe releasess 21 mln Euros in aid to Horn of Africa countries
August 9, 2008 (BRUSSELS) — The European Union says it is giving €21 million in humanitarian aid to three of the Horn of Africa countries — Somalia, Ethiopia and Eritrea — to help their people survive a drought that has lasted several years.
According to the United Nations, 14 million people in the region are living off emergency food aid as world food prices climb and the drought cut farmers’ output.
The European Commission last Thursday has allocated a further 21 million euros of humanitarian assistance to the vulnerable populations in Somalia which will receive 13 million euros, Eritrea 4 million euros and 4 million euros for Ethiopia.
The European humanitarian aid targets vulnerable people in rural areas around the country, focusing mainly on the provision of nutrition, water and sanitation, basic health services and agricultural/livelihood support.
“The challenges in the Horn of Africa are huge and multidimensional. On the strictly humanitarian side, the area has suffered persistent drought in recent years and more and more people are struggling to survive,” said Louis Michel, European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid.
“Humanitarian aid is an expression of Europe’s solidarity with those who are most vulnerable. We are committed to supporting those most in need in this and other crisis zones.”
So far this year, the Commission said it has provided nearly 120 million euros in humanitarian aid, including food aid, to needy people in Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia and Uganda.
The Commission’s assistance will focus on rural populations and internally displaced people (IDPs).
It addresses core humanitarian needs, with emergency relief assistance for IDPs, host communities, the most marginalized groups and the chronically vulnerable, focusing on central and southern Somalia.
The main needs identified are shelter and non-food relief items, health and nutrition, emergency food assistance, water and sanitation, as well as co-ordination of relief efforts.
“The Commission has also provided food aid worth 14 million euros so far this year. Humanitarian aid worth more than 56 million euros has been provided for Somalia since 2006,” the statement said.
Since 2006, the Commission has provided relief aid to Eritrea worth 16 million euros (not counting allocations from the Commission’s 30 million euros Regional Drought decision) for the Greater Horn of Africa.
Commission-funded relief projects are implemented by non- governmental organizations, specialized UN agencies and the Red Cross/Red Crescent movement.
(ST)