Brussels, 19/04/2011 (Agence Europe) - The scale of the humanitarian crisis in Côte d'Ivoire has led to the European Commission increasing its emergency humanitarian aid by an additional €30 million. This amount was raised to assist displaced persons in the country (more than a million) and the 150,000 refugees in neighbouring countries, mainly Liberia, which has taken in 130,000. The amount now stands at €60 million.
The decision was announced on Tuesday 19 April by the European Commission, at the request of Commissioner Kristalina Georgieva. The decision was taken on the basis of an extended need assessment carried out in recent days by a team of ECHO experts on the ground in the west of the country and later in Abidjan (EUROPE 10359) since the return to calm. These experts in health, protection, water, sanitation and food are still in Côte d'Ivoire and are involved in assessing immediate human needs. They are working with the national authorities and development cooperation partners to strengthen institutional capacity at a local level. The long term objective is for the local authorities to take over the provision of basic services.
The additional €30 million will be channelled through the humanitarian partners of ECHO (the Commission's humanitarian assistance and civil protection service): the United Nations Agence, the Red Cross and NGOs operating on the ground. This funding will help improve conditions by providing shelter, food assistance, healthcare, water and sanitation, and protection activities. Security is still the biggest concern. The preliminary findings from our experts on the ground confirm that while security is slowly improving, the humanitarian situation is still a cause for major concern. Thousands of people still don't have access to very basic supplies.
With the €60 million provided by the Commission and the contribution from member states, EU humanitarian aid now stands at €85 million. The Commission will open a full time ECHO office in Abidjan shortly to monitor the implementation of EU funded projects and coordinate the EU response on the ground. (A.N./transl.fl)