Brussels, 31/08/2010 (Agence Europe) - Settling back to work on Tuesday 31 August, the European Parliament (EP) development committee discussed the situation in Pakistan, “struck by one of the worst disasters that it has ever known and one which requires massive humanitarian involvement with more than 20 million people affected directly or indirectly”, stated chairwoman Eva Joly (Greens, France), opening the meeting. In her report on her visit last week to the flood-hit country (see EUROPE 10202 and 10201), European International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response Commissioner Kristalina Georgieva highlighted the scale of the tragedy, the speed and generosity of the European response (€70 billion in emergency aid, €230 million in donations pledged after the United Nations' call, and mobilisation of civil protection). The meeting also afforded the opportunity to call on the Parliament to respond, when the time came, to further funding needs, the worst of the disaster still to come with the risk of epidemics and the threat of food shortages. The €70 million in emergency aid pledged by the Commission was formally made available on Tuesday 31 August, “But I can already tell you that this will not be enough. I am concerned. The hurricane season is not yet over, but I have no more funding left with the succession of disasters this year. I can assure you that the absolute maximum will be wrung from each euro provided, but we are going to have to look to you,” Georgieva said.
Many committee members thanked the commissioner for having travelled so quickly to the scene to express the European Union's solidarity. All stressed that the rapid reconstruction of Pakistan had to be prepared now, several called for a solution to be found to the country's international debt, and others called for an EU rapid reaction force to be set up, working from the 2006 Barnier report, to increase the effectiveness of European action if there were to be a disaster of such magnitude in the future.
“Of the 17 million people to be helped, 8 million are in the cruellest need, 1.2 million houses have been destroyed, 1,300 km², an area five times larger than Belgium, have been flooded, and 1.74 million hectares of arable land have been devastated, according to Pakistan's agriculture minister, though the Asian Development Bank, the World Bank and the UNDP all speak rather of 3.4 million hectares. The most difficult problem is how to get to people in need. It is difficult to reach 800,000 people, either because the infrastructure has been destroyed or because they are surrounded by water. That gives an idea of the scale of challenge to be faced,” the commissioner said. While water levels may have fallen, the worst of the disaster is yet to come. “Of the 8 million needing emergency aid, only 2 million have received it. Before there can be any improvement, there will be a deterioration of the situation, despite the fall in water levels,” she warned, adding that getting aid workers to the people in need is not just a logistical problem: it is also a security problem.
During the debate, Charles Goerens (ALDE, Luxembourg) suggested that, in future, a Parliament representation should always be on duty through the summer holidays to make sure that the EP is involved should there be a similar disaster. He also called for the political will of member states to respond to needs in closer coordination with European aid. “The Barnier report is there. It just has to be implemented”. Georgieva acknowledged the need to beef up the EU's reaction capabilities and to deploy resources in a more coordinated way. In reply to Michèle Striffler (EPP, France), who was keen to learn about the Commission communication on this matter expected for this autumn, the commissioner said: “The EU needs a stronger coordination mechanism. Currently, it works, but what we have to strengthen are the means of prevention”. Vittorio Prodi (S&D, Italy), one of the few to have said that the European response was not swift enough, called, too, for improvement in “our intervention capabilities in the event of disasters,” and he laid emphasis on the need to deal with adaptation to climate change. Arsenis Kriton (S&D, Greece) welcomed the stress laid by the commissioner on the importance of helping Pakistan develop its ability to respond to natural disasters and climate change in particular. Like Jean Lambert (Greens, UK), he also called for a moratorium on Pakistan's international debt.
Taking the view that it would take years of commitment for Pakistan to begin to make progress, Sajjad Karim (ECR, UK) called for the transfer of European know-how and improved access to the European market for Pakistani goods. Pakistan's ambassador to the EU, while warmly thanking the EU for its aid, stressed this point. Commissioner Georgieva replied that the issue would be considered, but greater opening of the European market presupposed certain conditions and that “it takes two to tango”. To ensure consistency, the consequences of such a move on other countries must not be under-estimated. (A.N./transl.rt)