Masser af euro på vej
BRUSSELS, 8th February, 2012: The European Commission is scaling up its humanitarian assistance for the Sahel region of West Africa.
Here 12 million people are at risk of hunger. They are now getting 123,5 million euro in humanitarian assistance from the EU.
Combined with at least 150 million euro of development assistance, it brings the Commission’s funding for the Sahel so far this year to almost 275 million. But it s estimated that 700 million euro are required to cover the next 6 months.
Amid increasing recognition by the international community of the urgent need to contain the looming food crisis, leading donors, including all EU Member States, the United States of America, Canada, Brazil and others met Wednesday in Brussels to discuss how best to help the 12 million people in greatest need across the Sahel.
Kristalina Georgieva, the European Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response, during a visit to the region last month said:
– All the early warning signs are flashing red; malnutrition rates are steadily rising, the price of food is increasing, the displacement of large numbers of people and their livestock has started. The EU has taken immediate action and I urge others to do the same.
Wednesday these words were echoed by many and there was strong consensus on the needs and response that is now required.
Five Sahel countries (Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger) have declared an emergency and called for international assistance.
Commissioner Georgieva, added:
– The governments of the region need to be supported in their efforts to avert this crisis. The early warnings of this crisis have helped prepare a prompt emergency response. But without well-designed intervention now there is a high risk of a full-blown food crisis by June.
– By acting now we can save a lot more lives as well as avoiding the additional burdens which come with reacting when the situation is already reaching its peak.
Among others present in Brussels was Djime Adoum, the Chadian minister for agriculture and head of the Sahel’s regional organisation to combat drought (CILSS), Catherine Bragg, the UN’s Assistant Secretary-General for humanitarian affairs, as well as representatives from international humanitarian agencies including the International Committee of the Red Cross and Oxfam.
All addressed this high level international meeting and explained the action needed from the perspectives of each of their organisations.
Kilde: EU-kommissonen
Se også
– Presidency press release (you will also find a link to the communiqué):
http://eu2012.dk/en/NewsList/Februar/Week-6/Sahel
– Commission press release:
http://ec.europa.eu/echo/news/2012/20120208-2_en.htm
Yderligere oplysninger hos:
Jakob Haugaard, Udenrigsministeriet (Kbn)
tlf. 33 92 14 40 og mobil 41 73 38 80
E-mail: [email protected]
