Brussels, 22/03/2010 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 22 March, EU foreign ministers in Brussels discussed the humanitarian situation in Chile following the devastating earthquake there on 27 February (8.8 on the Richter Scale) and the resulting tsunami, and were briefed on her trip to the area by EU International Coordination, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response Commissioner Kristalina Georgieva. Aware of the sheer scale of the country's requirements, the ministers restated their solidarity and hoped the European Investment Bank (EIB) would lend the country more money for reconstruction purposes.
At a press conference after the meeting, EU High Representative Catherine Ashton said that Kristalina Georgieva's visit highlighted the effective and global nature of the EU's response, noting that the EU could continue to closely monitor the situation and was prepared to provide greater and longer-term humanitarian aid.
Georgieva told ministers that the speed of the EU's response (€3 million in emergency aid) had been greatly appreciated by Chile and by the EU's delegation in the country. The commissioner attended the investiture of the country's new president in Valparaiso, and explained that a few minutes before Sebastián Piñera's swearing-in, a huge aftershock had hit the coast, followed half-an-hour later by two more aftershocks. Piñera ignored them and continued with the ceremonies as if nothing has happened. Georgieva said that the lack of panic was due to Chileans' trust in the new strict building regulations in force in the country, in sharp contrast with the situation in Haiti. She stressed the sheer scale of reconstruction needs, estimated at being worth some USD 30 billion. EU Development Commissioner Andris Piebalgs said that €125 million might be available for reconstruction purposes from the EU's new investment fund for Latin America, and the EIB might also be able to provide more funding under a recently signed agreement. (A.N./transl.fl)