Brussels, 25/02/2011 (Agence Europe) - Fearing a major crisis in Libya, the European Commission decided on Friday 25 February to grant €3 million to meet urgent humanitarian needs in Libya and other countries, but ECHO experts (the European Commission's humanitarian aid and civilian protection unit) have not yet been able to enter the country to assess needs. The initial aid will pay for primary health care, food, shelter and basic items like blankets within the next 72 hours.
Kristalina Georgieva, EU Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response said: “The situation in Libya is evolving by the hour. With this emergency decision, the European Commission is responding to the immediate needs on the ground. We are also prepared to address upcoming humanitarian challenges. So far, Libya's neighbours have been coping very well with the influx of their returning citizens and refugees from Libya. However, it is crucial for us to be ready for possible massive displacements within Libya and for the potential influx of tens of thousands of refugees to neighbouring countries in the days and weeks to come. By allocating and pre-positioning our aid through partners, we work on relief of suffering and saving lives.” One of her spokespersons, Raphaël Brigandi, told reporters that Commission experts had been sent to Libya's border with Egypt and Tunisia but had not been able to get into Libya itself. A spokesperson for Catherine Ashton, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Maja Kocijancic, said the EU was asking the Libyan government to allow the evacuation of Europeans, adding that the circumstances were far from ideal but there were no major problems with the evacuation, which is a priority issue. (A.N./transl.fl)