Brussels, 24/08/2010 (Agence Europe) - The announcement on Monday 23 August of the release of the two Catalan aid workers kidnapped in Mauritania by al-Qaeda of the Islamic Maghreb on 29 November 2009 was immediately welcomed by European International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response Commissioner Kristalina Georgieva. She said, however, that she remained concerned by the growing insecurity in which humanitarian work was being carried out.
In a press release published on Monday evening, the commissioner stated: “The release of Albert Vilalta and RoquePascual fills us with happiness, so much for them, for their families and their colleagues at Barcelona Acció Soldária. Today, the safety of humanitarian workers is more dangerous than ever due to increasing cases of harassment, threats, kidnappings and murders. Last year, the number of humanitarian workers killed was higher than that of UN peacekeeping troops. Within a decade, the number of men and women who have lost their lives providing humanitarian assistance has tripled from 30 in 1999 to 102 in 2009, and the number of abductions has increased from 20 to 92”. Thus the EU will present a draft resolution on safety and security of humanitarian personnel and protection of United Nations personnel to the UN General Assembly in September, the commissioner announced. (A.N./transl.rt)